By Your Side
by Surgery-Girl
Summary: Meredith moves to Boston with Ellis, where she becomes best friends with Alex Kerev. I know, bad summery. Sorry about that. AU. MERALEX.
1. Just Me And Teddy

**This is the last one I'll post until I complete some. (Promise)**

**Summery: Meredith moves to Boston with Ellis, where she becomes best friends with Alex Kerev. I know, bad summery. Sorry about that. AU. MERALEX. **

**Disclaimer: I still don't own Grey's. **

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She looked up and smiled at her mother. The sun made the blondest strands in her hair shine. Her green eyes glowed and sparkled as the light hit them. Yet, her mother barely looked at her. She just walked past her not even giving her a smile. The young girl didn't understand neglect or the empty feeling she had in the pit of her stomach at such a young age. She just let her smile fall as she turned to play in the backyard. She bent down and picked up the teddy bear that had been tossed in the green grass. The teddy bear itself had seen better days. The fur was in a pretty rough state. Half was falling out the other half was matted. She held it close to her chest and hugged it tightly.

She walked over to the wooden swing that was attached to a tall tree by a thick rope. She sat down and adjusted the bear in her lap as she started to us her feet to sway back and forth. She rubbed her nose with her hand and looked to the ground with sad eyes.

"Somewhere an angel looks down on you. She will keep you safe while you sleep. So lay your head on the pillow. And rest your worries and count those sheep. Cause angels love you too." She wiped a tear that had been forming in her left eye. "Did you like that, Teddy?" She spoke to her bear and ran her fingers through the fur. "I do." Her voice was soft.

She looked up to see her mother walking out of the house. Her eyes filled with hope but soon faded when she turned and walked to the car. She looked down at the ground.

"She's going back to work Teddy," She sighed. "Like always."

The car started but she didn't look up. There was no point. Once the sound of the engine faded into the distance, she stood up. She opened the door to the house and let it slam behind her. The rest of the house was silent as the five year old walked up the stairs.

She was so young yet so used to being alone. Her mother was perfectly fine with leaving her alone. She probably would leave her for weeks at a time if the law permitted it. The nanny would probably be there soon so she could sit on her big butt and watch TV. She wouldn't really look after her much either. She didn't expect many people to care.

She sat down on her bed and looked around the light pink room. It was a princess room as everyone called it. Her baby dolls were carefully placed in or around her wooden cradle that her father had given her two years ago. She held "Teddy" in her lap and looked down at his eyes.

"Do you think Mommy cares?" She asked quietly. "She hates me. Do you know what I did?"

She sighed and laid back pulling the bear close to her chest and letting her eyelids fall.

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She woke up about an hour later to the sound of a knock at the door. She knew she wasn't supposed to answer the door.

"You'll protect me, right Teddy?" She said picking it up off the bed. She held the railing tightly as she walked down the stairs as quickly as he little feet took her. She got to the door and opened the door. She looked up to see who was there. Teddy was wedged under her arm. The woman standing there looked down at her.

"Hi, is your mother home?" She said with a smile on her face. Meredith shook her head.

"No." Her voice was soft.

"What about your father?" She asked. Meredith's face grew sad. She shook her head again.

"No."

"Well, who is home?" The woman asked.

"Me and Teddy." She said with a smile holding up the bear in her arm.

"You're all alone?"

She nodded. The woman kneel down.

"How old are you, Honey?"

Meredith held up her hand. "Five."


	2. It's Neglect, That's What It Is

"You're five and you're all alone?" The woman said in a shocked voice. Meredith nodded.

"The nanny will be here soon." She shrugged. Ellis had Meredith enrolled in a 'proper preschool' back in Seattle. So she knew how to talk like an adult.

"You shouldn't be alone." The woman said.

"Who are you?"

"My name is Mary, Mary Kerev. And you are?"

"Meredith Grey." She said softly.

"Well, Meredith, I have a son, Alex. Would you like to play? He's your age."

"Mom said I can't leave the house when she isn't home."

Mary nodded. "Are you going to be okay?"

Meredith nodded.

"Here." Mary reached into her purse and pulled out a pen and pad of paper. She jotted something down and handed it to the little girl. "Give me a call if you need anything. I live right down there." She pointed to the house across the street and down one.

Meredith nodded and smiled.

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"She's five. Alex's age and is all alone. It's like her mother just… I don't know." Mary ranted to her friends sitting in a circle.

"That's not right." One said shaking her head.

"The nerve of some people, they have kids thinking they're going to be adults as soon as they can walk." Another one said with a sigh.

"She talks like an adult. No fumbling over words. It's crazy." Mary said.

"It's neglect, is what it is." The older looking one said.

"I can agree to that." Mary said. "Gin. Your deal."

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She walked down the stairs looking at the ugly, fat lady sitting on the couch. She sighed and walked back up the stairs not daring to go down while she was watching her shows. She opened the door and stepped into her room. She walked over to her window and climbed up onto the window seat. It was getting dark. So she knew that her mother probably wouldn't be home anytime soon. Another night that she would tuck herself in. She yawned to herself putting her feet against the wall and staring out on the dark night. The stars were bright something she didn't see a lot in Seattle because of the clouds.

She sat there for another thirty minutes or so before getting up and going over to her door. She climbed on a chair that she had pushed over there and turned off the light. Then, she walked over to the bed. Pulling the cover back some, she slipped into the bed coving herself up again. She rolled on her side and let her eyes shut.


	3. Our Castle

_The next day…_

Meredith woke up early as she always had in hope to have the chance to talk to her mother before she left for a day at the hospital. But, by the time she walked into the kitchen she found it empty. She walked back into the living room and sat down on the couch.

A few minutes later, she walked back upstairs and into her room. She laid back down in bed and looked at the ceiling.

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A couple hours later she woke up again after drifting off. She got up and walked downstairs to find the nanny watching TV with a huge sandwich.

"Can I go outside?" Meredith asked a little sheepishly.

"Whatever." The nanny growled sending the little girl a glare. She slipped on her shoes and walked out.

It was warm, since it was the middle of July but not too bad. She walked out onto the porch and down the steps. Most of her things were still packed up in box. She walked to the backyard and sat down on the swings. She slowly started to swing on it not getting too high.

"Hey." Someone's voice caused her to jump. She looked up to see a little boy with blonde hair walking her way. She had never seen him before, but then again, she had only been living there for a week and a half.

"Hi." She said quietly looking back at the ground. The little boy stopped right in front of her.

"I'm Alex." He said.

"Meredith." She said still softly.

"Do you wanna play with me?" He asked. She looked at him and nodded.

"Sure." She stood up off the swing and followed the boy to the front yard. "What are we playing?"

He shrugged. "My house?" He asked.

"Where?" He pointed across the street and down one. "Hold on." She hurried up the stairs and into the house letting the door shut behind her. She soon returned. "Okay."

He smiled and they crossed the street and into his yard.

"Mom?" He called opening the door. He poked his head in to see his mother sitting on the couch. "Hi, Mom. Can a friend come over?"

"Uh, yeah sure."

He opened the door and invited Meredith in. "Thanks, Mom. This is…"

"Meredith. Hi, it's good to see you."

Meredith smiled. "Hi."

"Is your mom home now?"

"No, my nanny is."

"Oh, well at least someone is there."

"Yeah." Meredith shrugged.

"Well, have fun." Mary said with a smile.

"Bye mom." Alex said leading Meredith out the back door.

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They played in the sandbox that surrounded the swing set. Talking about the game they were playing. They had made a castle with a moat around it.

"A dragon." Meredith squealed causing them both to laugh.

"Look at the flag." Alex said in amazement.

"It's perfect." Meredith said with pride.

"Yep." Alex said with a wide smile. Meredith got up and climbed to the wooden 'clubhouse' that led to the slide.

"It's a castle." Meredith said looking up at the roof of it.

"It needs a flag." Alex said putting his hand on his chin trying to think of something. "I'll be back." He ran into the house.

He soon returned carrying a stick with a handkerchief tied to it. He smiled widely.

"Perfect." Meredith said as he took it from his hand. She put it into on of the extra wholes carved into the wood.

"Our castle." Alex said with pride.

"Our castle." Meredith said with a smile as she slid down the slide.


	4. Not So Happy Birthday

_A month later…_

Meredith and Alex had gotten really close over the last month. They played almost everyday and he had even met Ellis once… briefly. But that was a big accomplishment.

She woke up like she did every morning. But today wasn't just any morning. It was special. She got up and hurried down the stairs.

"Mom? Mom?" She yelled. "Mom? Are you here?"

There was no answer. She made it to the bottom of the steps to see a pile of presents in the corner, but no mother.

"Mom?" She squeaked out once more, before turning and running up the stairs. Tears rolled down her soft cheeks. She ran into her room and climbed into her bed. She buried her head into the pillow. The tears soaked into the light pink fabric of the pillowcase.

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Two hours later, Meredith woke up with swollen eyes to the sound of a knock at the door. She knew the nanny was already there, but she wouldn't make a move to answer it. Another knock came, so she got up and hurried to answer in. She threw the door open to see Alex standing there with a big smile. His mother stood behind him.

"Happy Birthday, Mer." He said holding out a package wrapped in blue paper with little balloons on it.

"Hi, Alex. Thank you." She said stepping back. "Come on in."

"What's wrong, Meredith?" Mary asked with a concerned face as the two stepped into the house.

"Mom isn't here… again." She sighed.

"Oh…" Mary said in an understanding voice.

"Dad is normally here for my birthday but… he's in Seattle." She said sadly. Alex gave her a hug.

"I'm sorry, Mer."

"Thanks, Alex." She smiled.

"Are you going to open all your presents?" He said eyeballing the pile. She shrugged.

"Come on, Mer." Mary said putting her hand on her back leading her over to the pile. "Where's your nanny?"

"Upstairs in the guest room, sleeping." Mary nodded.

"Open mine first." Alex said.

"Okay, I am." She took the package into her hand and plopped down on the floor. She ripped the paper off of it and pulled the top off of the box. She looked down at it and gasped. There was an "M" shaped golden necklace with little stones on it. "Thank you, Alex." She said giving him a tight hug. Mary helped her put it on. She beamed a smile at them. It seemed all the sadness she was feeling just… went away.

"It looks great Meredith." Mary said.

"Come on, tear into the others." Alex coxed. Meredith giggled and grabbed the next.

After tearing off all the presents that 'her mother' gave her, she ended up with a couple board games, a note (that Mary read to her) saying that she also had a bike outside, a couple things of chalk, and a hamster. She loved all her gifts, but it also made her sad since she knew that her maid or someone else other than her mother got her the gifts.


	5. Lots Of Chocolate

"Come on, Mer. Come to my house." Alex asked. She shrugged.

"Let me got tell her." She said running up the stairs.

She soon returned and the three walked across the street to Alex's house. The kids went out back to their castle. Mary had gotten them a different flag and drilled another hole. It was bigger and light blue with they words Meredith and Alex in iron on waterproof letters.

"Come on, Alex. You have to save me. I'm the princess." Meredith said from the top of the castle.

"I'm trying, Meredith." He said as he tried to climb up the slide.

"Watch out for the rock." Meredith said and she tumbled a ball down it. Alex grabbed the rope that a tire swing used to hang on before the swing set was put in. He jumped up pretending to pull himself out of the way of the boulder coming towards him. He fell back down to the slide and continued to try and get up the slide. "You can do it, Alex." She called. He shook his head and fell onto his stomach trying to catch his breath. He stood on the sand backed up to get a running start. He charged at the slide and made it halfway up before falling to his knees. He grabbed the underside of the sides and pushed his knees out as far as he could to stop falling.

"I can't do it, Mer." He said almost ready to give up. She quickly looked around before putting out her hand. He quickly grabbed it and let go of the sides but kept his knees where they were.

"Ready?" She said. He nodded and started the slowly move his knees up pushing tightly on the side each time. Eventually, he was at the top and grabbed the side of the clubhouse to hoist himself up. "Yay! You did it." She squealed hugging him tightly. "You saved me."

"We still have to get back down without the dragon seeing us." He said looking around. He took her hand.

"Lets go." Meredith said glancing around as well.

"You go first." Alex said.

"He might see you."

"Don't worry about me."

She nodded and she pushed off speeding down the slide.

"Hurry, Alex." She called back up.

He glanced around and slid down too.

"We're safe." She cheered.

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"Meredith, Alex. I called over to your house, and your nanny said you can stay over as long as you want." Mary called from the kitchen window.

"Okay," Meredith said and looked over at Alex who was swinging on the swing beside her.

"I can jump."

"You can?"

"Yep. Watch." He got a little more height and jumped off as he peaked.

"Yay!" Meredith said clapping her hands.

Alex did a little bow before coming back to the swings. They had been playing for a couple of hours now. Mary opened the sliding doors carrying a platter. She set it down on the table.

"Here's some lemonade and cookies." She said with a smile. "Don't get too full. Dinner will be ready. You're welcome to stay, Meredith. Jack had a gig tonight so he won't be home."

Meredith nodded happy to spend more time with Alex. The two hurried over to the table that Mary put the things on. Mary smiled and walked back in to the house.

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Thirty minutes later, Mary called them in. Hamburgers and fries were sitting on the table.

"Come on guys, wash up." They ran to the bathroom down the hall.

A few minutes later, they returned and sat down at the table. Mary got their hamburgers ready and handed them to them.

"Eat up," She encouraged and ducked back into the kitchen. "I've got a surprise for you guys when you're done."

"Okay," They said at the same time.

After they finished, Mary disappeared into the kitchen again.

"What do you think it is?" Alex whispered.

"I don't know." She shrugged.

They sat anxiously awaiting the surprise. Mary reached in and flipped off the light. The next thing they knew, Mary was walking in singing "Happy Birthday" carrying a chocolate cake with multicolored candles.

She set it down in front of Meredith with a huge smile. Meredith smiled widely at her.

"Happy birthday to you." Alex joined in for the last line. They watched as Meredith shut her eyes and blew the candles out.

"Yay!" Mary cheered.

"Thank you so much." Meredith smiled.


	6. Sleeping

It was almost seven and Mary hadn't heard a peep from either of the kids in two hours. She walked up the stairs to Alex's room where the kids disappeared to. She pushed the door open more so she could see in. There they were. Meredith was asleep curled up next to a sleeping Alex. They were back to back both with knees curled up their chests. She smiled to herself before walking out.

She walked down the stairs and picked up the phone. She dialed Meredith's house.

"Hello?" A heavy accented woman said.

"Hi this is Mary Kerev. Meredith is over at my house."

"Yeah?" She said uninterested.

"Well, she seemed to have fallen asleep, so when Ellis gets home can you tell her that I'm going to keep her the night, if that's alright with you?"

"Whatever, as long as I get paid." She said hanging up.

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_The next morning…_

Meredith woke up expecting to see her pink walls, but instead it was blue. She looked confused as she sat up. Then, she looked down to see Alex laying there. This confused her even more. She stood up and walked down the stairs. The smell of pancakes filled the air. She walked into the kitchen to see Mary humming and flipping pancakes.

"What am I doing here?" Meredith asked.

"Oh, good morning, honey. You and Alex fell asleep last night."

"Oh," She said.

"Hungry?"

She nodded.

"Good, I got flapjacks on the way." She said with a laugh.

"Yum pancakes."

"Is Alex still asleep?" She nodded. "Such a lazy sleepyhead." Meredith giggled.

"Yep."

"How about you go wake him?"

"I'm fine." Meredith said shrugging. "He doesn't have to."

"It's fun. Go ahead. He needs to get up."

She smiles and nodded before getting up. She hurried up the stairs and to Alex's room. She walked into the blue room and over to the bed. She smiled down at the sleeping form before running and jumping onto the bed.

"Alex." She squealed. He popped up quickly and looked around.

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The two returned to the kitchen a couple minutes later to find Mary putting a plate of pancakes onto the table.

"Good Morning, Sleepyhead."

"Good Morning." Alex said smiling at her.

They began to eat some of the pancakes and bacon.

"Mom?" Alex said.

"Hmm?"

"Can Mer stay and play some?"

"Yeah, as long as it's okay with her nanny."

"I'll go ask." Meredith said standing up.

"Are you finished?" Mary asked.

She nodded.

"I'll be right back."

She hurried across the street to her house. She opened her door and looked in.

"Hello? Hello?" She walked across the living room. "Mom?"

Her eyes grew wide.

"Meredith. Linda said you were at some kid's house." Ellis said jumping up.

"Alex. Yeah. You met him."

"Who?"

"He's my best friend."

"Oh, yes… The blonde hair boy."

Meredith nodded.

"Well, I'm off to work."

"Mom?"

"What, Meredith?"

"You missed my birthday."

"I know. I'm sorry. I'm really busy. Linda won't be here for a little bit."

"Can I go to Alex's house?"

"Fine, whatever. Goodbye, Meredith."

She hurried out of the door. Meredith sighed before following her out.


	7. Red And Swollen

_Two years later…_

Meredith sighed and shut her eyes. She was eight years old, now. Her birthday was just a week ago. Mary and Alex threw her another 'party' with a perfect cake and a nice dinner. Just the three of them. Ellis was on-call again, but this year it didn't sting as much. Mary and Alex were becoming more of a family than Ellis ever was. The two kids played everyday and went to the same school for second grade. They hadn't started school back up yet, but they were soon. They were in the same class for kindergarten and first grade.

She walked across the street and knocked on the door. It soon opened and Mary stood there.

"Hey, Meredith." She smiled at her letting her come in. "Alex is in his room."

"Thanks," She smiled and headed up the stairs. She knocked a little and opened the door. "Hey."

He turned on his computer chair. "Hey, Mer." She walked in and flopped down on his bed. "What have you been up to?"

"Nothing, Mom's at work." She sighed.

"Come on, let's go out back."

"Want to play soccer?" She asked standing up. He shrugged.

"I guess so." He said putting on his shoes.

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"Why?" Meredith said kicking the ball with all her might.

"He's always go gigs." He answered kicking it back.

"My mom always has surgery." She stopped the ball and kicked it as hard as she could. It went through the air and bounced off one of the metal poles of the swing set.

"Nice one, Mer." Alex cheered.

"Thanks." She smiled as she picked up the ball. "He'll come around, Alex."

"I don't know, Mer. He's never around. We used to go fishing and… whatever. Before his career 'took off,' he was around. Now…" He shook his head.

"I know what you mean." She sighed and they sat down on the swings. "Back in Seattle, my dad was around and my mom… she still wasn't around much, but my dad was. Then, he left us."

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They returned inside after talking a little while longer.

"Mom? Mom?" Alex called.

"Did you have fun guys?" Mary said looking up from the magazine she was reading. They both nodded. "Why don't you go get some cookies?"

"Okay." They both said and walked into the kitchen.

"Was dad here a little bit ago, Mom?" Alex called from the kitchen.

Mary sniffled. "Yes, Dear. He had to come get a different guitar." She put her hand to her left cheek. A tear rolled down her other cheek. She withdrew her hand and looked at it. There was a small amount of blood on it from the cut that had been produced there. It was deep red and swollen. "I'll be right back guys." She said and hurried up the stairs to see what she could do with it.

"Okay, Mom." Alex called.


	8. Good Night

_**I am so sorry. I was out at the store and just realized that it wasn't the correct chapter. I'm sorry agian. Here's the right one.**_

_Seven years later…_

Meredith and Alex had turned 15 over the summer and in a week they were going to start up 10th grade. Alex had actually moved into the house right beside Meredith, because it was bigger and they had the money. His room was right across from her room only the side yards and driveways between them. Ellis still wasn't around all that much, but Meredith was getting used to it more and more. She didn't have to have a nanny or anything like that anymore. She sometimes left three hundred and left her for a week at a time.

She sat on the window seat looking out the window; not one thing in general just looking. Ellis was out of town and would be for a week or so. She left a little extra money that meant she might be gone longer. But for some reason it didn't seem to matter to her anymore. She sighed. A storm was coming. There were many things she could stand but being alone in a storm was not one of her favorite things to do. The light flicked on him Alex's room. He walked in and she watched as he flipped the covers back on his bed. He took off his shirt and stripped off his pants so he was just in boxers. She sighed and got up and got into her own bed.

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Two hours later, she was awoken by a large clap of thunder that made it sound like there was an 18-wheeler in the living room. She sat up and looked around. The power had been knocked out.

"Damn it." She muttered to herself and reached over to the nightstand. Her hand searched for her phone which she found after a minute of search. She flipped open it and blinked to get used to the light coming from it long enough to check the time. It was a little after two. She got up and walked over to the closet. She grabbed a pair of jeans and a blue sweatshirt with a white camisole under it. She put her blonde hair back in a pony tail before pulling the hood over it.

She walked over to the window and pushed the old style windows open. The rain was falling hard. It bounced off the driveways and street. She climbed over the ledge and down the ladder. The rain soaked into the clothes as she hurried across the driveway and over into Alex's yard. She looked up at his window and walked down to the other end of house. Mary had put up one of those fence like things that the plants grow up down by the living room. She climbed up it and jumped onto the canopy that covered the large deck. She got to the end and was at Alex's window. She pushed the screen up then pushed the window up.

She came over in the middle of the night a lot when Ellis was out of town. It wasn't for anything like sex. He knew that she didn't want to be alone sometimes. She shut the window behind her and walked towards the bed. She took off her jacket and put it on the back of his chair hoping it would be dry by the morning.

"Alex." She said quietly. "Alex." She shook his arm.

"Humm, what?" He said opening his eyes a little. "Mer? What time is it?"

"A little after two… Can I stay?" He nodded.

"My boxers are…"

"Top drawer." She finished his statement and went to his dresser. She slipped off her wet jeans and put his boxers on. Her camisole wasn't too wet so she just wore it. She walked back to the bed hanging her pants on the desk. "Scoot." He moved over. She laid down beside him facing so her back was to him. He put his muscular arm around her. She smiled to herself. "Goodnight, Alex."

"Goodnight, Mer."


	9. MOM!

_The next morning…_

Meredith woke up first. She rolled out from under his arm managing not to wake him. She walked over and touched her clothes to find them pretty much dry. She sat down in his chair and thought about what she wanted to do that day since Ellis was out of town. Then, she glanced at the clock to see that it was a little after seven. She knew that Mary would be up by now. She stood up and pulled his boxers off of herself. She grabbed her jeans and started to put them on but tripped on them causing her to fall to her ass.

"Ow." She said. "Damn it."

She stood up and rubbed her ass.

"Mer? What the hell happened?" Alex said sitting up and opening his eyes to see. She stood in the middle of his room wearing pink and green underwear with a turtle on the front and a white camisole. "God, Mer, put some clothes on."

She rolled her eyes. "One, I'm trying. Two, you've seen me naked how many times?"

He rolled his eyes at her and fell back on the bed again. "What time is it?"

"A little after seven. I better get going. Mom said that she might… key word might call this morning." She said slipping on her jeans. "But, I'll see you later."

"Okay."

She grabbed her jacket and went to the door.

"Thank you, Alex."

He looked over at her. "You're welcome, Mer."

"I'll see you later." She smiled at him.

"Bye." He waved, sleepily to her as she walked out. She hurried down the stairs.

"Good Morning, Mama Kerev." She called as she got to the bottom of the stairs. 'Mama Kerev' was a nickname Meredith gave to her when she was ten.

"Good Morning, Mer." She smiled as Meredith walked into the kitchen. "The storm bring you over last night?"

"Yeah. I should get going. Mom might call me this morning."

"Alright… Are you coming back later?"

"I don't know. Probably."

She walked out the front door and across the street. She opened her front door and walked into the kitchen. When she got to the door, she stopped and looked in awe at what she saw.

"Mom? What are you doing here? You're supposed to be in Seattle."

"The conference was canceled. Where were you?"

"I spent the night at a friend's house."

"Whatever, well I…"

"Ellis?" A voice came from the hall that the bathroom was down. Meredith looked at Ellis, and then back down the hall as the bathroom door opened. He stepped out and came their way looking down at what he held in his hand. He was only dressed in boxers and a t-shirt. Meredith's jaw dropped and Ellis covered her face with her hands.

"Mom!" Meredith yelled at the top of her lungs.

He looked up and blushed slightly as he entered into the kitchen.


	10. I Can't Believe You

"Meredith?" The man chuckled. "Well, haven't you grown up since the last time I saw you?"

"Who the hell are you?" Meredith said making a face.

"You don't remember?" He said with a smile crossing his face. "I'm Richard Webber."

That's when it hit her. She knew who he was. She had very little memory of her years before she came to Boston, but she knew who he was.

"_Don't scream at me when you're the one screwing Richard Webber." Her real father's words ran through her head. _

"I cannot believe you." She said shaking her head. "You bring him here? How the hell could you do this to me? How could you do this to yourself?"

"Watch it, young lady. I can do whatever the hell I want. I pay for this house. I pay for your lavish lifestyle."

"It's not like you ever gave a damn about me before, mom. You pay for this house and my 'lavish' lifestyle, because you don't want to have to see and deal with me."

Ellis didn't say anything just clenched her jaw.

"You leave for weeks at a time because you can't stand to look at me. You blame me for why he…" She said pointing at Richard. "Didn't leave his damn wife. You don't love me, yet you were to fucking stubborn to give me to dad who actually gave a damn about what happens to me and what I do with my life."

"Don't talk to me like that. I am your mother."

"Well, mother, why is it that I see more of Mary and Alex Kerev than I do you. Why do you camp out at the hospital all night?'

"Because surgery is my life."

"Then, what the hell am I, Mom?" She said with harshness. "I'm going to Alex's." With that she turned on her heel and walked out slamming the doors behind her.

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A couple of tears rolled down her cheeks and her feet dug into the sad. They had moved the sand box/playground from the old house since at the time Alex was still young. She sat down on the swing in his backyard. It wasn't exactly clear in her head why she didn't go to his door. She walked into the backyard and sat down on the swing with her shoes off and her feet digging into the sand. She wasn't crying… okay, maybe a little.

She had only been sitting there with her head lowered looking at the sand for a few minutes when the sliding glass door opened and Alex emerged.

"Mer? Not using the door anymore?" He asked as he walked over. He stepped onto the sand. "Mer?" She looked up at him and he could see the tears building up in her eyes. "What's wrong?"

She didn't answer right away just sat gently swaying.

"My mom came home early…" She stopped short.

"Isn't that a good thing?"

She shook her head. "She brought the man who drove my father away with her." She said chocking up.

"What?"

"Richard Webber, the guy she was having an affair with."

"Oh…" There was a short silence that he didn't know what to say. "I'm so sorry, Mer."


	11. What Do You Want From Me?

They sat in silence for a few more seconds.

"Meredith, you do not get to just run away." Ellis voice cut through the air.

"What do you want from me, Mom?" Meredith said sending her a glare.

"We're getting married…" Those words seemed like a knife that cut into Meredith's skin. She was speechless for a second.

"What!?" She yelled in her 15 year old angst-filled voice and stood up. "You bring the man who helped you destroy the family I was born to here and you say you're getting married. What the hell is going on? You leave me here all alone for weeks at a time only to come back to more work and more surgeries." Tears rolled tears rolled down her cheeks. "What do you want from me? Do you want me to be happy for you? Do want me to cry as you walk down the aisle? I can't do that, Mom. Because I can't stand here and pretend that we'll be one big happy family when the two of us can't make a happy family."

Ellis let out a long sighed. "You know, Meredith, I don't know how to be a mother. It's easier to walk away then try."

"You can't 'walk away' from your child. You started leaving me home alone when I was five..."

"Meredith," She cut her off. "I want to be there for you, but I just can't."

"Then, why even try."

"Maybe I want to."

"Maybe it's too late."

Ellis sighed as she turned on her heel and walked away. Meredith watched her go as she started to cry. Alex touched her shoulder. She turned to him. He pulled her into his chest. She started to sob into it.

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She opened the door of her house and slipped in glancing around trying to see where they were. She tried to scurry up the stairs unnoticed but no such luck.

"Meredith?" She shut her eyes and sighed.

"What?" She turned around.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm staying at Alex's house tonight."

"No, you are not."

"I need to wrap my head around this."

"Meredith? I know this is a shock, but I want things to be okay between us."

"Things? Mom, what things are there between us?"

"Sit, Meredith. I want you to sit and talk to me."

Meredith sighed and thought about it. "Fine, Mom. But I'm staying at Alex's tonight." She walked over and sat beside her. There was an uncomfortable silence.

"How's school?" She asked.

"Fine. Work?"

"Fine… What do you want to do when you get out of school?"

It was weird. It was like they had never met.

"I… I don't know. I've been thinking about Med School."

"Med School?" The words hung in the air.

"Yeah. I was thinking about surgery."

"Surgery?"

"Do you have to repeat everything?"

"It's a shock. Do you think you can make it?"

"Yes, mom."

"Surgery is a hard field."

"I know, Mom. God, do you have to be so… unsupportive?"

"I'm trying here, Meredith. Why can't you let me?"

Meredith sighed and stood up. "I just need to process all of this." With that she hurried up the stairs.


	12. You're Going To Be Okay

_That night…_

It was late. Around midnight if not a little later. She walked down the stairs of his house as quietly as she could carefully sneaking past his parents room even though she was sure Jack wasn't home and Mary wouldn't mind either way if she was awoken. She pushed the sliding door open quietly and slipped out onto the deck. She walked down the stairs to the moist grass. It felt good against her bare feet. She crossed into the sand box and stopped in front of the 'castle' the two made when they were five. The memory brought a smile to her face. She sat down on swing and sighed.

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He felt something was missing in his bed as he lazily got from bed to go to the bathroom. When he returned, he looked at the bed and noticed she was gone. He looked around the room before walking to the window. He glanced out and saw her swinging pretty high. He pulled on a pair of shorts before walking out.

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The light flicked on causing her to look up quickly. Alex stepped out shutting the door behind him.

"Hey." He said.

"Hey." She said quietly slowing the swing.

"What are you doing out here?" He asked. She shrugged.

"Thinking."

"About?"

"I don't know." She shook her head. She wasn't thinking about what she was supposed to be thinking about. He walked over and stood in front of her. She smiled at him.

"You okay?"

"I don't know."

"That seems to be the theme."

She sighed. They stood in silence just looking at each other. The next thing he knew, he was leaning down and their lips came together. It was soft and sweet. It also came out of nowhere seeing as they had never been like that. They were friends. Of course they had each thought those thoughts but never acted upon them in fear of endangering their friendship.

"You're going to be okay." He said as he pulled apart. She just looked at him unsure what to say.


	13. Wedding Bells

_Four and a half months later…_

They never talked about the kiss, but they never forgot it. Things between Meredith and her mother were… okay. Meredith still wasn't keen about the wedding. The first couple of months, she avoided her mother a lot. As the weeks went on things started to get a little better, but Ellis was still busy at work so they didn't have a lot of time together. Richard stayed at the house a lot and tried to get along with Meredith, but she was stubborn about it.

They sat in the middle row holding hands. She scrunched down in her seat a little lower. He gave her hand a tight squeeze.

"You okay?" He whispered. She shrugged and watched as they said their vows. She rolled her eyes.

The wedding was soon over and Ellis and Richard got in the first limo to the reception while Alex and Meredith got in the second. When they got to the country club, they walked into the private room where it was being held. The band was in the corner warming up to play. There was an open bar across from the entrance. Tables were set up on one side of the room while a fireplace was gently lit on the other. The cake was on a table in the middle of the room with fruit and crackers sat on tables on either side of it.

She and Alex walked in together. She was wearing a white and black dress. He wore a black suit.

"Meredith?" Ellis said.

"Congratulations, Mom." She said with a semi-fake smile on.

"Yeah, Congratulations, Dr. Grey." Alex said.

"Thank you, you two." Ellis said before walking away with Richard's arm looped through hers.

"What do we do now?" Alex asked.

"Never been to a wedding before... I don't know." Meredith shrugged.

As more people filed in, it was quiet odd how everyone stood. Richard's guests were on one end, near the tables, while Ellis's were on the other, by the fireplace. People who knew each other talked in little groups and only a few brave souls ventured to new groups.

"You want a drink?" Alex asked.

"Do you think they'll give us any alcohol? I might need some to survive." Alex chuckled.

"I don't think so Meredith."

"Fine," She sighed. "Let's go get a drink."

They walked over to the open bar and got some soda then went back to the corner they were standing in.

"Did you get your project done, yet?" Meredith asked.

"Nah, we still got time."

"Yeah, me neither. Mom, has been bothering me about this"

He nodded knowingly.

"I've had wrestling."

"When's the first match?"

"Next week. You coming?"

"Yeah, have I missed one yet?"

"I guess not."

"I'm not going to start now."

"Meredith." Ellis said waving for her to come over. She sighed.

"I guess it's time to meet and greet." She said. Alex smiled and nodded. "I'll be back in a minute."

She hurried over to where Ellis was. She smiled at the people Ellis and Richard were talking to. Alex watched as Richard introduced Meredith to them. She shook their hands with a fake smile plastered on her face. Eventually, Meredith walked back over to him. He raised his eyebrows.

"His parents," She explained.


	14. What Happened?

Meredith watched as the couple shared their first dance. Her eyes fell to the ground. As the next song started, others started to dance.

"May I have this dance?" His voice came from behind her. She smiled and nodded. He took her arm and led her to the dance floor. He put his hands on her waist and she wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Are you okay?" He whispered into her ear.

"I don't know." She whispered back as a tear rolled down her cheek. She watched over his shoulder as Ellis laughed along with Richard without breaking their dance.

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The limo dropped the two at Meredith's house.

"Thank you, Alex." She smiled at him.

"You're welcome, Mer." He smiled back. "I'll see you tomorrow?"

She nodded. "Yeah, two weeks alone."

"You going to be okay tonight?" She looked at the dark house and sighed.

"I guess."

"Well, my window is always open." She nodded before starting to walk up the path. She stopped and turned around. He could tell she wanted to say something. "What's up, Mer?" She shook her head.

"Nothing."

"Mom won't mind if you don't want to stay over." He said. She sighed and looked up at the house unsure if she wanted to stay alone. "Come on." He put her arm around her shoulders as they walked towards her house to get some clothes.

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He walked into his house first his hand was in his pocket pushing his jacket up slightly. She followed in behind him still wearing her dress and heels but had left her clutch at home.

"Ma." Alex yelled as he shut the door.

"Oh, kids, hey." Mary said from the doorway standing in the shadows. "Meredith you look beautiful."

"Thank you, Mama Kerev." Meredith smiled.

"Mom, you alright?" Alex said.

"Yeah," She sniffled. "I'm fine."

"You sure?" He asked.

"Yeah, I'm just going to go get some tea." She said walking into the kitchen.

"Come on, Mer." Alex said.

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Meredith yawned as she walked down the stairs and towards the kitchen. The light was on which confused her. She walked in and looked around. Mary was sitting at the table with her hands cupping her face. Her shoulders shook with sobs.

"Mama Kerev, what's wrong?" Meredith said hurrying to her side. She looked up quickly wiping her face hoping her makeup was intact.

"Meredith? Is everything okay?"

"What happened?" She said her cheeks bruised and a black eye was staring to form.

"Nothing." Meredith picked up her arm which was also covered in marks.

"Something happened."

"I fell. Do you want some water?"

"Mama Kerev, what's going on?" Meredith said.

"Nothing, dear. Would you like some water?" She stood up and walked over to the fridge.

"Oh god, you're bleeding." Meredith said getting some paper towels.

"Oh it's nothing." She said grabbing the cut on her arm.

"Here. Hold this on it." She handed her the paper towels.

"Thank you, dear. But I'm fine. Water?"

"Yes please." Meredith sighed knowing she wouldn't tell her.

Mary handed her a bottle of water.

"Thank you," Meredith said and walked to the door.

"Good night, Mer."

"Good night, Mama Kerev." She walked out and up the stairs.


	15. Get out!

"Alex. Alex." She said quietly coming back into the room. "Alex, wake up."

She shook him.

"Huh? What? What's going on?" He said sitting up a little. He looked up at Meredith rubbing his eyes to see clearly. She clicked on the light causing him to pull the pillow over his face. "Meredith. It's like two in the morning." She hopped on the bed tucking her feet under her butt.

"What's wrong with your mom?" He blinked and looked at her.

"What do you mean?"

"I went downstairs to get some water. She was there crying and her face and arms are bruised up."

"What are you talking about, Mer?" He yawned.

"Alex, there is something wrong." He looked at her.

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Meredith looked at Mary. She was wearing loads of makeup and a long sleeve blouse. Then, she glanced at Alex who was eating pancakes in the seat beside her. He looked up at her and could see the worry in her eyes. She looked back at Mary who was still standing at the stove.

"What are you guys going to do today?" She asked not looking up.

"Ah, just hang out…" Alex shrugged.

"Oh, okay. Dad is coming home in a little bit."

"Actually, I have to get home and wait for Mom to call. But, I'll be back, I guess."

"Okay, see you later, Mer." Alex said.

"Alright, I'll call you." She said standing up. "See you later, Mama Kerev."

"Okay, Darling." Meredith smiled and walked out.

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He was sitting in his room doing something on his computer. Jack had come home a little while ago, but he hadn't made a move to go greet him.

"Stupid computer," He said letting out a frustrated groan hitting the side of the monitor. There was a crash coming from downstairs. His face scrunched up in confusion as he slid his chair back. He got up and hurried down the stairs.

"Ma? You okay?" He walked into the kitchen. A vase was shattered on the ground. Mary was on the floor with her back pressed up against the wall. Jack was standing at the sink with his hands on the sides of the sink.

"Ma? What happened?" He hurried to her side.

"_Alex, there is something wrong." Her voice echoed through her head. _

"Nothing, Honey. I'm fine." She said struggling to get up.

"Mom, you're not okay."

"Alex, go play or whatever the hell you do." Jack said turning his head slightly.

"Dad, what's going on?" Alex said.

"I said go." His deep voice boomed.

"No, what's going on?"

"Alex, go ahead. I'm fine." He looked at his mother and shook his head.

"I'm tired of this. I've turned the other cheek since I was twelve." Alex said stepping forward. He looked down at Jack's hands. They were bleeding slightly and looked like they were going to bruise.

"Please, son, don't do this." Mary pleaded. Jack turned towards his son. Alex looked at him; in his eyes. He could see the hate. And before he knew what was going on he threw a punch. His hand came in contact with his father's jaw. "Son. No."

Jack jumped back up in no time. "Alexander Kerev!" He yelled.

"Get out. Get the hell out." Alex demanded. Jack let out a harsh laugh.

"You can't make me get out of my own house."

"And you can't slap Mom around."

"Alex, I'm fine."

"How long? How long has this been going on?" His voice was sharp.

"Son, not now." Mary said.

"Get out, Dad." Alex said shaking his head. Jack looked at him and punched him across the face. Then, he pulled his fist back to punch again him but Alex grabbed it. "I'm not going to lay down and let you do this to me or mom anymore. You can do smack and shoot up on a nightly basis. You can get drunk and sleep with bar whores. But I am done letting you smack mom around." He twisted his fist causing Jack to moan in pain. "Get out." He threw his hand back. Jack looked at the two and shook his head before grabbing his bag and walking out.

"Alex…"

"Mom, that's enough. I'm not letting him do this to you anymore." There was a long silence. She pulled him into a hug.

"Thank you, Alex."


	16. Lonely House

Meredith sighed and shook her head as she wrapped the gauze around his knuckles.

"I'm so sorry, Alex." Meredith said before grabbing a piece of tape.

"The selfish son of a bitch got what he deserved."

"Let me see your face."

"You know you're not a doctor."

"Yet… But Mom is and I've been around that hospital long enough to know a few things."

"So, doctor, will I be able to fight next week?" He said looking at his wrapped hand.

"Yes." She said standing up and tilting his head back. She looked right down at his face at his cut. "It's not deep."

"Was I complaining?" He looked right up at her.

"Yes, you big baby." She joked.

"I didn't say anything."

"Let me got get you a bandage and a lollipop for the baby boy." She giggled and walked over to the cabinets. "Is you Mom alright?"

"She said she wanted to be alone."

She reached up to get the box of band-aids. He watched as her shirt lifted off her hips some. Once he realized what he was doing he averted his eyes and reminded himself that they were only friends. She dropped down to her heels and walked back over with the box in hand. She carefully put some antibiotic on it then put a band-aid over top.

"There." She said with a satisfied smile.

"Did your mom call?"

"Yeah. They made it to the Bahamas."

"Two weeks?"

She nodded. "She left me like eight hundred dollars." She hopped up on the counter.

"What are you having tonight? Chinese?"

Meredith made a grossed out face making Alex chuckle. She shrugged.

"Pizza or something."

"You practically live off pizza."

"When I get my license, I won't have to only get delivery. But that's still like a year away."

"Counting the months down are we, Grey?"

"You bet. I cannot wait. We will be able to go where we want when we want."

"I will before you." She rolled her eyes.

"Only by two months and how do you know that you won't flunk out."

He rolled his eyes at her. "I never 'flunk out'. I am too much of a genius for that."

"Keep telling yourself that."

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She hurried down the stairs and threw the door open.

"Hey. Um, what's the total?" She asked.

"Ah," The young delivery guy pulled out a receipt. "$22.50"

"Ah, hold on." She hurried into the kitchen and pulled 25 dollars out of her wallet before walking back to the door. "Here you go. Keep the change."

"Thank you. Have a nice night."

"You too." She took the take out box and walked into the kitchen. She opened the top of the box revealing spaghetti and meatballs. She laid the other on the counter as she grabbed a plat from the cabinet.

"Might as well make it look like it's homemade." She said to herself and slid it onto the plate before walking back into the living room. She clicked on the TV and settled into the couch. She sighed as she glanced around the empty house then down at her food.


	17. Not Yourself

_The next week…_

She walked down the hallway of the school, and over to her locker. She slipped her books into it.

"Hey," His voice made her jump.

"Hey."

"I scarred you."

"No, Alex, you didn't."

"Yes I did… You coming to lunch?"

"Yeah, on my way."

"Come on, Mer. It's taco day."

"Okay, okay." She shut her locker. "Let's go." She followed beside him to the cafeteria. They waited in line and got tacos before walking towards the table that the football team always sat at. Most of the football team was also wrestlers for the school. They always liked Meredith, so she was welcome to sit with them.

"Hey guys." A guy said.

"Hey." Alex answered for the two. Meredith looked out the window subconsciously.

"Mer, you listening?" Alex said nudging her.

"Hmm? What you say? Sorry. Zoned out."

"Frankie said you could come to the locker room before the match."

"Yeah sure. Sounds like fun."

"You okay?"

She nodded and forced a smile. "I'm fine."

"Okay." He said uncertain turning back to the others. She sighed and looked back out the window.

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She threw the door open to the boys' locker room and walked in briskly.

"Hey, Meredith." A couple boys said.

"Hey guys," She said dryly.

She walked through out the locker room stopping to say hi to a few people at a time until she worked her way to the third row of lockers. Alex sat on the wooden bench attached to the end of the lockers. He was looking up at a fellow wrestler talking about who knows what. She took a deep breath and sat down beside him on the bench. He glanced over doing a double take.

"Hey." He smiled at her.

"Hey." She sighed. "How's your hand? Okay to fight?"

"Yeah, it's fine." He said making a fist and releasing it. She picked it up and looked at it briefly before putting it down on his leg. Alex looked up at the guy giving a nod. "I'll see you out there."

"Good luck."

"Yeah, you too." He looked over at Meredith. "You okay?"

She forced a small smile. "Yeah. I'm fine."

"You haven't seemed yourself."

She shrugged. "Last night was kind of rough."

"What do you mean?"

"I don't know. Moms been gone for a week and I've been eating take out and crap the whole time. I guess it's just a little boring."

"Mer, seriously, what's going on? Your mom isn't around a lot."

"I don't know. Just… For some reason it was… hard."

"You could have come over."

"I know. I… I talked to Richard last night after talking to Mom…"

"And?"

"He said 'I love you' as if subconscious."

"Oh…" He sat back.

"Thatcher wasn't there for me but… Richard isn't my father. But, you know what; I don't want to talk about it."

"Okay…" There was a long pause. "Wrap me?"

"Why can't you get one of the guys to do it?" She asked.

"I like the way you do it."

She sighed and straddled the bench. Alex passed her some white cloth-like wrestling wrap. She took the roll and started to wrap it around his hands.

"So what did you say?" He asked looking up at her.

"Nothing. I pretending I didn't hear it and I hung up."


	18. Grads

_Two years later…_

"I give you the graduating class of 1994." The principle announced with a large smile. The audience stood up clapping and whistling. The whole graduating class threw their hats in the air.

"We did it!" Someone yelled.

Eventually everyone scattered off the stage to find their parents and family.

"ALEX!" Meredith called. His head whipped around. She hurried over and jumped into his arms. "We did it."

"Yeah we did." Alex said with a large smile. "Can you believe we're going to Dartmouth?"

"I know I can't." Mama Kerev said. "God, I am so proud of you two."

She pulled the both into a tight hug.

"What I can't believe is that we're going to the Bahamas for two weeks by ourselves!" She cheered.

"Meredith." Richard said. She turned towards him. "I am so happy for you."

"Thank you, Dad."

"You did well, Meredith." Ellis said. "I'm proud of you."

Meredith smiled. It was nice to hear her mother and her stepfather say that. She had grown to like Richard since they got married and even started calling him 'Dad.'

She looked around at her real family then her 'practically family' family.

"We're going to college." She said loudly.

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"Ugh, why is the plane ride so early?" Meredith yawned the next day at the airport. "It's like six am."

Alex shrugged and handed her a muffin.

"Okay, it's about a six hour flight with an hour and a half lay over in Atlanta. Now, are you sure you're going to be okay?" Mama Kerev said.

"Mom, we'll be fine." Alex said rolling his eyes.

"We have money and everything." Meredith smiled at her.

"Well, have fun guys." Richard said walking up with Ellis by his side.

"We will." Meredith sighed.

"Come on, we should be getting to the terminal." Alex said picking up the carry-on bag.

"Yeah, bye guys." She hugged all three of them and Alex hugged him mom.

"We'll be back in two weeks." Alex reminded them.

"Call." Mama Kerev instructed as the two walked over.

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"Two weeks in the Bahamas all by ourselves." Meredith said with a smile.

"It will be great."

She looked over at him. "Isn't it weird to think that 12 years ago we met when we were five, now we're almost eighteen and going off to college together?"

Alex smiled. "Yeah."

"We have to stick together." Meredith said quietly putting her head down on his shoulder and letting her eyes shut. "Always."

He smiled to himself as she drifted off to sleep.

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They both woke up as the plane was landing in Atlanta. Her head rested on his shoulder and his head rested on hers.

"How long is our layover?" Alex yawned.

"An hour and a half." She said sleepily. The plane landed and they got off. They sat down in some chairs at the gate. "I'm going to go and get some coffee from Starbucks." She said standing up. "Want anything?"

"Sure."

"What?"

"Uh, Cappuccino."

"Alright." She sleepily walked towards the Starbucks.

She came back and handed him the coffee. "Thanks." He said taking a sip.

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**I'll probably do a couple of chapters in Bahamas. **


	19. Beach

They eventually boarded the next plane and landed in Nassau. They got their suitcases and headed out of the airport. The day was beautiful; sunny, clear blue skies, and very warm. A smile crossed Meredith's face as she walked not far behind Alex to flag down a taxi. She looked up at the sky and let the sun beat down on her face for a second before hurrying after him to catch up.

"It's beautiful here." She commented as they crossed the street.

"Hot."

"Well compared to Boston, yes." She said rolling her eyes.

"It's a nice change."

"We have two weeks before going back to get ready for college." Meredith said looking over at him. "Let's make the best of it." He smiled back at her before flagging down a taxi.

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He pushed the door open to his hotel room glancing once at the room Meredith had walked into. Slipping the key card into his pocket, he walked in further looking around. There were thick, silky, crème colored curtains hung in a fancy way on the windows. A small wooden desk sat in the corner with a lamp sitting on it. Not far from it on the same wall stood a tall cabinet. He opened it revealing a plasma screen TV. The queen size bed sat against the other wall jutting out towards the TV. It had a thick crème colored comforter on top with white sheets under it. A table sat beside it with a similar lamp to the one on the desk on it. There was a door leading to a full bathroom with the "5 star hotel" luxuries, including jet tube, two sinks, shower, ect. It was a large suite paid in joint between Ellis, Richard, and his mother. It was their graduation present that probably cost them 100,000 dollars. To a surgeon like Ellis, it didn't seem like much.

There was a door leading to Meredith's room. The two rooms were almost identical and joined by a short hallway. There were locks on both of the doors in case of privacy, but it didn't matter all that much to him and he doubted it did to her.

He lightly knocked on her door before opening it.

"Hey." He said as he walked further in.

"This room is amazing." She said with a large grin falling back onto the bed.

"It's exactly like mine."

"See, now, you can't get jealous." He rolled his eyes and sat down beside her on the bed.

"What do you want to do?"

"Beach?" She asked propping her head up.

"Sure." He nodded.

Their hotel was in walking distance to the beach which was a key point Meredith wanted.

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"Mer, you ready." He said knocking on her bathroom door. He had changed into a pair of blue swim trunks and a white t-shirt. Meredith had yet made her grand appearance to go to the beach.

"Almost. Calm down." She yelled from behind the door. Moments later, she opened the door in a black sundress cover up.

"Ready?" He asked as she slipped on her flip flops.

"Yes, Alex, I am ready." She rolled her eyes. "I didn't take that long."

She led him out and down the hall.

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She spread a large towel out over the sand while he did the same beside her.

"So are you going in the water or…?" She asked.

"Uh, I'll probably sit her for a little bit." She nodded before slipping the sundress over her head revealing a pink halter top bikini. His jaw fell just slightly at the sigh. She had done "prep for graduation tanning" over the last could over weeks giving her a "goddess glow."

"Well, I'm going to tan some." She said as she bent down throwing the dress into the bag pulling him from his thoughts. He nodded clearing his throat quietly before plopping down on the towel.


	20. Italian Kitchen

They had been sitting on the beach for a little while and Alex was trying really hard to concentrate on the magazine he was reading. But his eyes kept traveling to Meredith who had turned on her stomach. Her eyes were shut and her head was turned to the side. Every so often she wound straighten her swimsuit or scratch her nose. He wasn't sure if she was awake or asleep. He glanced back up at his magazine.

"What are you reading?" She mumbled looking up at him.

"Ah, nothing, just some magazine." He shrugged. "Did you have a good nap?"

She nodded as she sat up adjusting the top around her boobs. He watched as she stretched her back out. "So, are you going to get in the water?"

He shrugged. "You?"

"Yeah, I think I am." She smiled at him before standing up tossing her sunglasses into the bag. "Come on." She grabbed his hand and started to pull on it.

"Okay, I'm coming." He stood up and followed her to the water. She let her toes feel the temperature of the water. "It's warmer than I thought it would be."

He nodded in agreement. Soon they were in about chest deep. The waves were a little rough causing her to laugh every time one plowed over them.

She broke the surface of the water pushing her wet hair out of her face. Alex came up not long after. She giggled and picked a large piece of seaweed out of his hair. He grimaced running his hand through his hair.

"So… where do you want to go eat tonight?" She asked jumping over a wave that had yet crashed.

"It doesn't matter. We could just walk down the strip of stores and restaurants until we find something."

She nodded. "I'm in the mood for something Italian."

He smiled. "Sounds good."

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It wasn't until almost three that they headed back to the hotel. Having skipped lunch and only having a small breakfast, they were both considerably hungry, so they changed and head out. They walked down the street looking for a good place to eat.

"There." He said pointing to a place called. 'Italian Kitchen."

"Yeah, sure." Meredith nodded not really caring where they went as long as it was Italian. They crossed the street and Alex held the door open for Meredith. She slipped her sunglasses onto her head as they walked in. A woman was standing at a podium to the right.

"How many?" She asked in a high voice.

"Two." Meredith smiled politely.

"Right this way." She led them to an empty table near the back. Once both Alex and Meredith were situated she walked away leaving them with two menus. They eventually order and begin to talk.

"What do you want to do tonight?" He asked taking a sip of his coke.

"I read that there's a fair on the state grounds down the street."

"When?"

"Starts at five."

"Do you want to go?"

"Yeah. You?"

"You know I could never resist a fair." She giggled remembering the time when they where 10 and went to the county fair with Mary.

"_Come on, Alex." She said in her excited voice. "Let's go on the roller coaster. You're not scared are you?" She nudged him. _

"_No. I'm a man. Men don't get scared." He said with a big grin or self-pride._

"_Okay." She grabbed his hand. "Let's go." _

_They waited in line for a few moments before getting into one of the cars. _

_When they got off the ride, Alex ran straight to the trashcan. Meredith laughed at him since she was just fine. _

"I will never ride anything called the 'Tummy Twister' again." He laughed.

"Cause you're not man enough." She said in a fake deep voice. They both started to laugh.


	21. Driving Me Crazy

Meredith and Alex paid and went into the fair. They started by playing a few games.

"Alright, I'll win you a bear." Alex said looking at Meredith. She giggled as they went over to the baseball throw.

"Okay, show off, Alex." She said rolling her eyes. The man put three balls down in front of him. Alex picked up the first on glancing at Meredith causing him to smile. He threw the ball hitting the bottles square in the middle. Meredith giggled as the man looked at Alex taking the two balls back.

"Take you pick, Mer."

"That one." She said pointing to the big green bear. The man handed it to her.

"Now you can't say I don't do anything for you." He smirked at her.

"Thank you so much." She said kissing his cheek causing him to blush. He hoped she didn't notice which she didn't seem to. "Come on, I want to go on that rollercoaster."

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They returned to the hotel at eight after it started raining. Their hair was soaked and sticking to their face. Meredith hurried down the hall shivering at the coolness from the air conditioning. Alex was close behind her.

"Do you want to watch a movie in my room?" He asked.

"Yeah." She said opening the door and stepping in. "Let me just change first."

He nodded and went into his room.

She soon walked into his room wearing a pair of shorts and a camisole shirt. "So what are we going to watch?"

He pulled his jeans leaving only his boxers and shirt on. He shrugged. "See what there is to order."

She nodded tearing her eyes away from him as he pulled his shirt over his head. Being a wrestler he definitely had… the type of body that makes a girl go crazy. She watched as he walked by her.

_It was dark but she didn't mind it. That was partially why she snuck out of his room. She need to thing. She wasn't sure what about but she knew she needed to clear her head. She sat on the swing just looking off in the distance when the porch light turned on. Alex emerged shutting the door behind him._

"_Hey." He said._

"_Hey." She said quietly slowing the swing._

"_What are you doing out here?" He asked. She shrugged._

"_Thinking."_

"_About?"_

"_I don't know." She shook her head. _

"_You okay?"_

"_I don't know."_

"_That seems to be the theme."_

_She sighed. They stood in silence just looking at each other. The next thing he knew, he was leaning down and their lips came together. It was soft and sweet. It also came out of nowhere seeing as they had never been like that. They were friends. Of course they had each thought those thoughts but never acted upon them in fear of endangering their friendship._

"_You're going to be okay." He said as he pulled apart. She just looked at him unsure what to say._

She shook the thoughts of that night out of her head as she had many times before. It happened over two years ago and there were times she couldn't get those thought out of her head. She knew he had probably forgotten all about that night, but it didn't matter how stupid it sounded. It was one of those things she would never forget.

"Find anything?" He asked. She shook her head pulling her back to reality. She looked at the TV and continued to scroll through the options.

"Ah, we can watch..."

"Oh, Hot Fuzz. Can we watch it please?" He gave her the puppy dog face.

"_Did he have to say hot? Damn it, Alex, put a shirt on. I can't concentrate." She thought. _

She cleared her throat. "Yeah, whatever."

"Yes." He said crawling to the top of the bed and sitting next to her. Meredith hit order and in moments it was ready. The movie began and Alex intently watched the screen. Meredith tried to pay attention, but it was a little hard.

About twenty minutes into the movie, Alex looked down at Meredith. She didn't notice. His eyes traveled down her outfit.

"_She has to wear something so hot to bed." He thought. _He shook his head and tried to concentrate on the movie. She rested her head on his chest as she often did during movies and Alex subconsciously started to play with her hair. Neither knowing that it was driving the other crazy with thoughts that they really shouldn't be having about each other, being just friends and all.

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_**For those of you who didn't know where that flashback came from it was from Chapter 12 more in Meredith's point of view. **_

_**I just realized how long this story is going to be seeing as they haven't even started college or their internship. And there will be plenty to go with the internship. **_


	22. Five Years

He woke up the next morning and she was still sleeping with her head resting on his chest. Her soft snores could just barely be heard. He watched her chest rise in fall in short bursts of air. He strong arms were rested around her small body. It was times like these that he couldn't help but remember all the thoughts he had had over the last almost ten years mostly in the last five. What happens when you have a long time love for your best friend? He couldn't stand the thought of losing her as a friend, so he kept it to himself.

Looking down at her as she slept on his chest, he wasn't sure how much longer he could keep quiet. After five years, he still felt so strongly for her. He cared about her so much, but how she felt was a mystery to him.

She started to stir from her sleep and he pretended that he was just waking up himself. Stretching her back, she sat up and yawned.

"I didn't mean to fall asleep." She said exhaling deeply. "Did you see the end of your movie?"

He had been distracted all through out the movie but he didn't dare tell her that. "No, I fell asleep." It wasn't entirely a lie since he hadn't remember too much. "You up for some breakfast soon."

"Yeah, I'm going to go shower." She said standing up taking her hair down from the mess of a ponytail. He shook all the dirty thoughts from his head.

"Yeah, ah, me too." He stuttered and stood up as well.

"I'll meet you soon." She walked back to her room.

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She turned off the shower and grabbed the towel wrapping it around her body. Using the other, she towel dried her hair before walking out into the bedroom.

"Whoa, Alex, you scared the shit out of me." She said grabbing her chest in shock.

"Oh, Mer, sorry. I thought you were… done." He said.

"It's fine," She shrugged as she walked over to the suitcase. Her towel got stuck on the handle of the dresser pulling off her body. Alex covered his eyes quickly as she grabbed the towel off the floor. Quickly wrapping it around her body, she turned to look at Alex trying to get her cheeks to stop being flushed. He blushed turning away.

"It's not like you haven't seen me naked before." She tried to laugh it off.

"Uh, yeah, I mean..." His voice faded.

It was the truth. Over the last ten years, there was bound to be 'oops' moments. Mostly when they were younger and were still grossed out by the anatomy of the other sex. But there was a difference between now and then. Back then, she was practically his sister… now it was a different type of love.

He racked his mind for a way to get out of the uncomfortable situation. His back was still turned to her as her mentally went over as many topics as he could but couldn't figure out anything.

"Uh, where do you want to go to breakfast?" He asked after several moments.

"I don't care." She answered fanning her face hopping the redness would go away before he turned around. Pulling on her shirt, she rubbed her hand over her face. "I'll be ready in a minute."

She made her way to the bathroom. Letting the door shut, she leaned over the sink letting out a long sigh. Her eyes fell shut as she turned on the water.

"Damn." She mumbled splashing some water onto her face.

He sat down on her bed putting his head in his hands. Letting a sigh, he rubbed her face. How long could this go on? He had to put it past him. Forget about his feelings and focus on her and their friendship. Their friendship. Who would have thought that they would go this long? Five years of watching her get hurt by boyfriends. Five years of watching her get annoyed with teenage boys. Five years of watching over her. And all that time… he was in love with her. All of that time he couldn't stop thinking about her. All that time he couldn't help but find his bed lonely when she didn't sneak over into his house. Five years.

The door opened causing him to jolt from his thoughts. Seeing her coming out, he quickly put the thoughts in the back of his mind. How long they would stay there… he wasn't sure.

"Ready?" He asked standing up.

"Yeah." She smiled.

"_Stay focus, Kerev. Friendship."_

"_Don't let yourself think about Meredith. You're just friends."_


	23. PARTY

_A year later…_

"And we return to Dartmouth for another year of exams, papers, and grueling courses." Alex sighed opening the door to their apartment they had shared for their first year of college until summer vacation started two months ago.

"Aw, it won't be so bad." She laughed. "We had fun last year."

"That's just because you discovered underage drinking of tequila." He laughed shutting the door. She laughed rolling her eyes.

"I just drank a little." She put her fingers a little bit apart to signify a little. "At parties."

"Yeah, whatever you say." He laughed.

They returned from the Bahamas and survived the trip without telling each other their true feelings. Their first year of college had been a little harder to keep it buried since they lived together. But the first couple of months were hard to find anytime to talk at all let alone get in a deep conversation about feelings. Between becoming social and getting into their studies, they barely were home at the same time. They also had gotten jobs adding to their lists of things to do. The months that followed went by so quick before they knew it they were hitting the books for finals.

The summer had probably been the hardest part. Returning to Boston, they had trouble hiding it since they returned to their old lives of hanging out all the time. But two short months later, they were back in New Hampshire and ready to dive back into college life.

She smiled at him. "There's a party."

"A party? Let me guess, Meredith Grey wants to go."

She nodded vigorously smiling at him.

"Well…" He sighed.

"Please, Alex." She pouted.

"Fine." He smiled as she jumped up and down on the couch.

"Thank you." She hugged him. "But you do realize that I would have gone regardless."

"Yeah, I know." He laughed standing up.

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She walked into her room and dug through her clothes trying to find what she wanted to wear to the party.

"P-A-R-T-Y." She sang shaking her but as she dug pushed through her clothes. "P-A-R-T-Y."

She pulled out a pair of jeans and a cute top. Quickly changing, she did her hair in light curls and did her make-up lightly.

"Mer? You coming?"

"Yeah." She yelled back slipping on a pair of heels. "P-A-R-T-Y!!" She sung out hurrying down the steps.

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_**I know I was short but… **_

_**WE MIGHT SEE SOME HOOKING UP IN THE NEXT CHAP.!!!**_

_**You never know what's going to happen. **__****_


	24. No Doubt

The music was blaring. The lights from inside poured out to the darkness of the night. People walking in and out carrying red cups and dancing around. Alex walked along side her trying to keep his eyes off of her which had proven to be one of the hardest tasks of the night. She instantly walked to the beverage table once they got inside. Taking a cup, the guy quickly filled it with beer giving her a wink. She smiled back not really paying any attention. Alex grabbed a cup as well though he didn't want to get drunk. He needed to watch over her. If anything were to happen to her, he would never forgive himself. Finishing her beer just as quickly as it had been filled, she threw the cup on the ground feeling slightly the effects almost instantly.

"Come on, Alex. Dance with me." She said pulling him onto the dance floor. They started to dance some.

Within twenty minutes, she had another cup in hand. Drowning it quickly, she could feel herself loosen up a lot and continued to dance with Alex.

She had finished three drinks within the first hour of them being there and her dancing begun getting a little drunken, but she held her alcohol surprisingly well. A slow song came on and she wrapped her arms around his neck. Swaying back and forth, he wondered how drunk she was. Her head rested on his chest and her eyes were closed. His hands rested on her hips.

"Let's go home." She said quietly.

"You actually want to leave a party early?" He asked almost shocked.

"Yeah… well, this party is kind of boring."

He nodded taking her hand before leading her out.

They walked down the street silently still holding hands half because he didn't want her to fall over, half because… it just felt comforting. He unlocked the door to the house and Meredith stumbled in first. She turned to him as he unlocked the door. He turned to her and smiled. She gave him a hug just out of nowhere. He wrapped his arms around her. They stood there for a second each engulfed in their own thoughts. And before either knew what was happening, she stood on her tip toes and their lips met softly.

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The sun awoke her from her deep sleep. She could feel her head pounding slightly. It wasn't for a second that she felt the heat radiating off his body and his muscular arm around her. It wasn't unusual for her to be waking up in his arms since over the last eleven years there were countless nights of her sneaking into his bedroom in the early hours of the morning or late hours of the night. There were countless times they fell asleep together on the couch while watching a movie or doing homework. It was just something that had always happened. But this had never 'just' happened. Sure there had been the thoughts that she tried to hide in the back of her mind. Of course she loved him. She always had. When she was younger, it was different. He was her 'knight in shining armor' not only when they played castle. He was practically her brother, but now… now it was hard to lie that she had no feelings for him. Somewhere down the line, she had fallen into love with her best friend. It was one of those Hollywood 'we spent one summer together, I love you' kinds of love. It was one of those 'We've been there for each other for eleven years through the good and bad, I love you' kind of love. She was in love with Alex Kerev. But where does that leave them?

He could tell she was awake from the rhythm of her breath that was moving his arm up and down. Does that confirm what he already knew? What kind of person would be actually being able to recognize that if he wasn't in love with her? He needed a few minutes to think and knew she would need a few minutes too. So, he lied with his eyes closed barely moving more then his chest with every breath. He loved her. There was no doubt in his mind. He had known it for years and maybe the night before only confirmed it. Cause now as he lied next to her naked body the feelings for her were stronger than ever. He was in love with Meredith Grey. But where do they go from here.

There was no doubt in her mind.

There was no doubt in his mind.

They were in love with each other. The problem? She didn't know he loved her. He didn't know she loved him.


	25. Confessions

They had been laying there for nearly ten minutes unknowing that the other was awake. Even lost in their thoughts they still found time to savor the moments unsure if it would ever happen again. Alex made the first move. He rolled onto his back letting out a quiet sigh. She rolled onto her other side to face him. He rolled up on his side to look at her neither knowing what to say and hoping the other would say something first. Leaning forward, she kissed his lips light and tenderly. Having known Meredith for eleven years, he never expected her to make the first move or a move like that. Quickly, he welcomed the kiss and kissed back. They stayed like that for what seemed like forever. Pulling back, she laid her head on his bare chest not sure what else to do. They had never gone so far in their relationship even though unbeknown by each other she loved him and he loved her.

"Should we… talk about this?" She said quietly drawing circles on his toned stomach. He stayed quiet for a second before nodded.

"Probably." He said quietly playing with her hair. Silence fell over them again as they waited for something more to be said.

"I love you." She blurted out before she could catch herself. As soon as the words left her mouth she wanted to slap her hand over her mouth. His finger stopped moving through her hair. She stopped drawing circles on his stomach and for a second neither even took a breath. Slowly, she turned her head so she was looking up at him.

"I love you, too." He said quietly. She brought her lips to his and kissed him passionately and straddled him.

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Mind-blowing

Best ever

Oh my god!

Were the only words going through her mind as she stood in the shower. She couldn't believe it. It was like a dream world to her. The water rolled off her body and she couldn't wipe the smile off her face. Turning off the water, she grabbed her towel and dried it off before wrapping it around her chest. She walked into the hall just as Alex was walking down the hall. He kissed her as he passed her to his bedroom. If this was the way it was going to be, she could definitely get used to it.

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_**I know it was short, but I didn't want to skip ahead in time too much without starting a new post. **_


	26. Moving In

_6 years later…_

"You coming?" She called back from the door way.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah." Alex said as he lifted the table off the lawn. "I don't see you helping."

"I was helping. You told me you would do the heavy stuff."

"Well, I'm starting to reconsider."

"No take backs." She said sticking out her tongue. He turned to the side as he came through the door with the table.

"Where do you want it?"

"Over there by the couch." She said pointing.

"Whatever you say." He set the table down.

"That it?"

"Yep." He said sitting down on the couch.

She sighed as she flopped back on the couch. "Now all we have to do is unpack all these damn boxes."

Alex groaned and pouted at her. She giggled and gently hit his stomach. Smiling to herself, she stood up and walked into the kitchen. Who knew? Seventeen years after meeting Alex Kerev, this is where they would be.

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"Yes, Mom," Alex sighed as he walked back towards the bathroom with the toothbrush hanging out of his mouth. "She's fine." He gave Meredith a glance before spitting into the sink. "We're fine."

He shifted the phone to his other year as he returned the toothbrush to the sink. "Uh-huh." He folded the collar of his white dress shirt down looking into the mirror. "We just finished moving all the big things in."

Meredith walked passed the bathroom door.

"Yes, I'll tell her." He said sigh again giving an annoyed nod even though she couldn't see him before walking into his room. "We're just going to this stupid mixer at the hospital. Alright, I have to go. Love you too. Meredith loves you too. Bye." He hung up as quickly as he could. Meredith started giggling from the doorway. "Mom says she hates you."

She shook her head and headed back to the bathroom. "Whatever you say, Alex. Mama Kerev loves me."

"You almost ready. I want to be in and out of this thing as soon as possible."

"Well you know as well as I do. Dad will keep us around as long as he can." She shook her head. "Won't that be fun, Alex?"

He chuckled. "Tons."

"I love him, but seriously, does he want me to get special treatment? I can't stand that."

"I know what you mean."

"Well, at least, Mom won't be there." She slipped some dangle diamond earrings through the holes.

"Don't worry; you got into this program. They can't say that your parents did that."

She shook her head. "I guess not." She sighed. "I'll be ready soon." She smirked at him and shut the door in his face. He chuckled shaking his head before walking away.

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He waited impatiently at the door for her holding her long back coat in one hand and an umbrella in the other. He was in a nice clean cut suit and black leather shoes. Tapping his foot impatiently, he sighed.

"Mer, are you planning on coming sometime this year?" He yelled aggravation dripping from his voice. He didn't want to be the first there, but he definitely didn't want to be the last.

"Yes I'm coming." She yelled back just as annoyed more with her hair and her make-up than him. Letting out a loud frustrated sigh, she headed down the stairs. He looked up once the sound of the heels echoed down the stairs. She still took his breath away. The way her slightly curled hair, the way she did it only for special occasions, played her soft features. The way her dress hugged her in tall the right places. The way her legs looked perfect coming down from the knee-length dress into the heel. The way her make-up was never over done. Everything about her, he loved. He nearly dropped the things in his hand as she came down the steps. She smiled at him, just a small smile the way that made him go crazy.

"How do I look?" She asked.

"Amazing," He said almost flirting as she wrapped her arms around his neck. Their lips drew close. "You look amazing." He repeated as their lips brushed together into a soft kiss.

"I love you." She said pulling back.

"I love you too." He said kissing her again.

Letting her head fall, she ran her hand up and down his side still amazed at how he kept the perfect body all through college when she felt like she grew an elephant as a stomach.

"We have to go." She sighed.

He slowly nodded knowing that staying was not an option no matter how much they wanted to stay. He held open her coat for her as she delicately slipped her arms in. Turning around, she smiled at him before kissing him lightly. He opened the door and allowed her to step onto the porch as he opened the umbrella over her head. Interlocking their fingers, they headed down the stairs to the car.

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They pulled into the hospital. Alex got out first opening the umbrella and hurried to her side. He helped her out of the car and they headed towards the hospital.

"Remember what I said." She said looking up at him.

"Meredith…"

"No, Alex, we discussed this. You don't need to be cursed with what I was cursed with."

"Mer, we're getting married. They're nothing cursed about that."

She stopped causing him to stop. "Just, please, at least until we can prove ourselves. I don't like it anymore than you do." She played with one of the buttons on his shirt before looking up with him begging with her eyes. He nodded slowly.

"Thank you." She sighed. "I love you."

"I love you too."

She smiled at him before they continued to walk. She played with her engagement ring on her finger smiling to herself as she ran her fingers over the large diamond stone and smaller stones.

When they got into the hospital somebody took their coats and umbrella and instructed them to go down the stairs and into the large conference room. The two had been in there when they were interviewed by the board for their internship, so it wasn't hard to find. They could hear music coming from behind the door.

"Ready?" He asked.

"To be an intern or to be daddy's little girl."

He smiled. "To be an intern."

"Hell yeah."

He laughed lightly before opening the door for her.

"Thank you."

"Your welcome." For some reason, he had a weird feeling in the pit of his stomach.


	27. Mixer

The room was crowded enough with new interns, residents, doctors, and nurses each dressed in clothes that would probably never see the inside of the hospital again. The next day, dresses would be replaced with scrubs. Curls would be replaced with ponytails. Heels would be replaced with tennis shoes. And cocktails would be replaced with coffee. Her eyes scanned the room as she and Alex walked down the stairs. Her hand gently running down the railing. Richard looked up and smiled at her. She smiled back before looking over at Alex who looked lost in thoughts and she couldn't help but wonder what about. They passed the large glass windows towards the hallway. He continued to walk, but she grabbed his arm pulling him towards a hallway out of view. She kissed him passionately.

"Are you okay?" She asked pulling back.

"Yeah." He said quietly kissing her light.

"Alright, let's go." He nodded silently as they headed back down the original hall to the door. She took a deep breath before going in with Alex close behind. Richard quickly waved them over. Meredith glanced at Alex rolling her eyes before grabbing a glass of wine and walking over. He got a glass and followed over as well.

Richard was standing with four doctors none of which she recognized. She walked over not bothering to join the conversation. Alex took a seat nearby less than thrilled to be there let alone have to be pretending like he was no more than a friend to Meredith. He had hoped that that stage had been over six years ago before they first told each other they loved each other.

A lot had changed since then. Not just their careers. They had graduated college and went on to medical school. Their second year of medical school, Alex finally asked her to marry him.

She glanced over at him sitting in a chair by himself looking lost in his thoughts. She glanced down at the ring, that she had without thinking had twisted around a couple of times ending with the diamond facing inward.

_They were out at dinner after a long day of classes. Even though they were both tired from papers and classes, they still found time together. Even if it meant her putting on heels even though her feet were killing her from walking between buildings. She smiled at him as he talked about his classes before telling him about hers. They listened intently to each other, but now and again Alex seemed to drift off into his own thoughts which hadn't happened in years. She almost took offense but decided to be rational and write it off as being tired. Dessert finally came and Alex became more secluded, barely making more of a sentence than 'yeah' or 'nope.' By now, she was a little annoyed to why she was sitting there in a dress, heels, with freshly shaved legs, if all he was going to do was sit there and not listen to her. Finally as she finished off her piece of cheesecake, she decided to ask. _

"_What's wrong?" She asked trying to hide the fact that she was annoyed. _

"_Nothing." He said snapping out of a trance. _

"_Then why aren't you listening at all to me?" Letting him know she was annoyed by the tone of her voice. _

"_Mer, I… I need to ask you something." _

_Sitting up a little straighter, she was happy for a little more of a human conversation. Nodding for him to go on, she crossed her legs under the table. _

"_Will you marry me?" He blurted out. _

_She was not expecting that, and it must have shown because he immediately started to explain himself. _

"_I love you. I really love you and we've known each other for fifteen years now and I love you, which I already said." By now he looked like an idiot babbling away. Struggling to get up, he got down on one knee and pulled out a jewelry box. His hand was shaking lightly as he held it up. "Will you marry me?" The beautiful white gold three stoned ring (one big, one smaller on each side) shined brightly back at her. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she nodded vigorously. _

"_Yes." She kept repeating. _

"Meredith?"

"Huh? What?" She said being pulled back from the flashback by her stepfather's voice.

"Are you okay?" He asked. He eyes traveled to the curious eyes of the four doctors before she nodded quickly. "Are you sure? You seem distant."

"Richard, I'm fine." She snapped kind of harshly. Her tone must have shocked the doctors, but she didn't really care.

"Okay." He turned back to the doctors, who turned back to him. She turned and looked at Alex who was now talking to a tall blonde. Jealousy ran through her veins. No, she definitely wasn't going to like this. She wasn't going to like having to pretend like he wasn't her fiancé, but she had to. If not, he would be curse with the questioning 'did he just get her because he's going to be Richard's future son in-law.'

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She twisted her ring as she watched Alex talk to a couple of people. Taking a long sip from her wine, she looked around the room at the people who had spent their whole evening sucking up to Richard.

Alex nodded to the small group before walking away. He smiled at her as he walked towards the refreshment table. She smiled back trying to hide the twinge of jealousy even though it was her choice. He stood across from her as he poured another glass of wine.

"You okay?" He asked sensing something was wrong.

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"Mer, I know you. What's wrong?"

"Nothing, just tired, I guess." She smiled at him to prove she was okay.

"You want to go?"

She looked around. "It's fine if you want to stay."

He glanced around to. "Stay at hospital party. Go have our own 'party.' Such a hard choice." He said sarcastically. She giggled and nodded.

"Let me say goodnight to Richard."

"I'll get our coats."

He smiled as she put her glass down and walked toward her stepfather.

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"Who is she?" Derek Shepherd asked his best friend Mark Sloan.

"Who? You see a hot chick? If you do, she's mine."

"Her." He gestured the one walking toward the door.

"Oh. No, man. Bad choice. She may be hot, but she's Webber's daughter."

"That's her?" Addison said. She was and had been close friends with Mark and Derek for years, but never allowed herself to get close romantically with them. Mark nodded. "I was wondering how the chief of surgery knew an intern."

"She's hot." Derek said.

"She may be, but I bet Webber is tough on guys who touch his princess. Don't cross into that battlefield. It isn't worth it."

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I feel like updating this one so there will probably be more chapters coming pretty soon. 


	28. First Day

She woke up the way she had so many times. The heat of his body radiated off him and on to her. A smile crossed her lips as she nuzzled closer to his body. Today was the day of firsts. Their first day of work. Their first day as interns. Their first time in a hospital as actual doctors. The first time they had to pretending like they weren't in love. She didn't want to do this. It hurt her to an unbelievable way that she had to give Alex nothing more than a glance, but it was for the best. But at the end of the shift, she would be back in his arms. She knew he hated the agreement just as much, but she hoped that one day, she would thank her. He needed to understand what it was growing up in the tall shadow of Ellis Grey and living in the tall shadow of Richard Webber. She didn't want him to have to stand in their shadows with her.

The alarm going off pulled her from her thoughts. Reaching up, she lazily turned it off before rolling over to face him. One day… One day soon, she would be Dr. Meredith Kerev.

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They left at the same time, in different cars and got there within seconds of each other. He waited for her to catch up with him and smiled at her. She smiled back even though her stomach was doing flips.

"Calm down." He chuckled.

"Are you telling me to calm down? You calm down. I am perfectly calm." She quickly rambled. He laughed.

"Well you're twisting your ring."

"Yeah, so. Maybe I want to." She tried to defend herself.

"You twist your ring or play with your hands when you're nervous."

"I do not."

"Whatever you say." He smirked at her as they crossed into the main hospital lobby. She looked around at all the people moving quickly around her. She took a deep breath and followed Alex to the elevator. The doors closed leaving them alone in the elevator. Their lips crashed together and he pushed her back against the wall. She wrapped his arms around his neck deepening the kiss. The door dinged as a warning and they pulled apart straightening their clothes. Alex cleared his throat and Meredith smiled to herself.

"I love you." She whispered quietly as the doors opened slowly.

"Right back at you." He whispered back. People boarded on as they got off. Proceeding down the hall, they didn't speak but glanced at each other trying to be unnoticed. Alex pulled the door open for her. She slipped into the back of the group that already crowded the OR followed by Alex.

"Look around you…" It was a speech she had heard Richard practicing the day before the interns joined the hospital every year since Ellis and he had married. She didn't bother to listen but looked around the room. There were very few women. All the sudden panic set in and the reality of the fact she was a surgical intern. She was going to have lives in her hands. Not only that, but she had to learn and compete with all those other people. Her eyes finally settled on Alex's and calmness began to rush over her. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly.

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She went to the locker room along with the other interns. Changing quietly, she watched Alex from the corner of her eye as he pulled on his shirt. She could see a couple of people checking out his sculpted abs. This gave her a twinge of jealousy, but she quickly tried to brush it away. She looked at her ring and ran her fingers over the diamond once more before taking it off. Reaching up, she removed the chain from around her neck and slipped the ring onto it. She re-clasped the necklace around her neck before standing up. Her thumb absently rubbed over the finger where the ring used to be.

Alex watched as she looked at her empty hand before reaching up and touching her necklace. She shut the door.

"Only six women out of twenty." She sighed looking around more to herself than anyone else.

"Yeah. And I hear one of them is a model." She scoffed. "That seriously doesn't help with the respect thing."

"Christina, right?" She asked turning towards the other woman.

"What resident were you assigned to? I got Bailey."

"The Nazi? Me too." She sighed.

"Yang, O'Malley, Kerev, Grey, Stevens." A resident called.

"Bailey?" Christina asked.

"End of the hall."

"That's the Nazi?" Meredith said in disbelief.

"I thought the Nazi would be a guy." Alex said.

"I thought the Nazi would be the Nazi." Meredith said.

"Maybe it's professional jealousy. Maybe she's brilliant and their jealous. Maybe she's nice." The blonde who she found out from earlier was Izzie. The model. The girl who was looking/flirting with her fiancé.

"Let me guess. You're the model." Christina said earning a glare from Izzie.

"Hi I'm Isobel Stevens, but everyone calls me Izzie." Izzie smiled brightly at the short doctor Miranda 'The Nazi' Bailey. Bailey looked at the hand almost disgusted causing Izzie to retracted it.

"I have five rules. Memorize them…"

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She slumped down in her seat annoyed with a patient, Katie Brice, who had come in seizing. Now, she was awake and whining about missing the pageant or that her TV didn't have cable. She paged her about stupid little things that didn't matter. She could feel his presence without looking up. She smiled to herself as she looked up at him.

"Hey."

"Hey." He smiled back.

"How's your first day, Dr. Kerev?" She asked popping a chip in her mouth.

He shrugged. "Fine I guess." He looked down into his bag of chips which was the same type as hers. "You know it's weird."

"What?" She asked.

"This is the first time in what? Five years? That I've ever had a bag of chips to myself."

She giggled shaking her head. "Something like that."


	29. Ellis Grey And Richard Webber

They continued to talk about their normal topics when their fellow interns, Izzie, George, and Christina. They sat down and Meredith shot Alex a sad smile before looking at the others.

"Hey guys." Izzie greeted.

"Ugh, Barbie…"

"My name isn't Barbie!" She squealed.

"Dr. Barbie." Christina shot back.

Izzie groaned and turned towards Alex. "So Alex how's your first day?"

Alex shrugged. "Just suturing."

Meredith shifted in her seat slightly uncomfortably as Izzie talked to her fiancé.

"Forty-eight hours with barely any surgeries." She heard Christina moan. "So what's it like?"

Meredith was unaware of Christina's words and did not respond her eyes still inconspicuously watching Alex and Izzie.

"Meredith?" Christina said.

"Huh? What?" Meredith jumped and looked at her.

"What's it like being Ellis Grey's and Richard Webber's daughter slash step daughter?" She asked trying to hide the smugness in her voice. Meredith rolled her eye slightly.

"The same as if I were someone else's daughter." She mumbled.

"Is Ellis Grey like… nice?" Izzie asked.

Meredith sighed. "Can we not talk about my family?" She always got annoyed when people bugged her about who her mom and stepfather were.

"It's just that… it's Ellis Grey." Izzie stammered.

"It's nothing special." She mumbled biting her apple. Silence fell over the group. Meredith twiddled with the ring on her necklace. Alex watched as she looped chain and stuck her finger through ring before repeating the cycle. She continued to do so until Izzie began talking. She paused the motions for a second before repeating it more quickly before running it along the chain. Izzie giggled flirtatiously at something she had said Alex smiled a little to be polite. Meredith stood up sliding the seat back and they all looked up at her.

"I have to go." She announced giving Alex a small smiled before walking away.

Alex sighed quietly sitting back. Could she blame him for this when she was the one to propose the plan?

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_36 hours later…_

George was the 'lucky' intern to scrub in on an appendectomy in his first day, but he choked and Burke had to jump in as the patient's pressure dropped. Meredith got to scrub in on an amazing brain surgery that some of the interns figured it was because she was Richard's stepdaughter and Ellis's daughter, but she didn't let it get to her. It stung a little when Christina, whom she was getting along with, told her right out that the only reason she got into med school was because of Ellis and the only reason she was in the number one teaching hospital in the nation was because of Richard. By the end of their first 48 hour shift, they were okay.

She pulled on her shirt over her head. Alex pulled on his baggy jeans watching as Meredith stretched her neck. Christina walked in letting out a long groan.

"My feet are killing me." She stressed the word killing.

"I understand completely." Meredith said taking a deep breath.

"Whoa, nice tat, Meredith. Never would have pegged you as one to have a tattoo."

Meredith touched the black and purple butterfly on her back glancing at Alex who was smiling to himself.

"Yeah well… I got it my first year of college."

"Nice." Christina laughed as Meredith pulled her shirt on.

"See you around, Yang." Alex said walking past.

"Walk me out, Alex?" Meredith asked shutting her locker. He nodded. "See you tomorrow, Christina."

"Yeah," She sighed as the two walked out.

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Meredith and Alex walked towards the front entrance talking lightly of what they thought about their first day. They crossed the lobby when Derek walked up to Meredith without her noticing causing her to nearly run into him. Talking a couple steps back, she smiled politely at Derek.

"Dr. Shepherd." She stated kind of annoyed throwing Alex an apologetic look. He stood also annoyed at the doctor's intrusion on their conversation.

"Derek, call me Derek." He gave her the McDreamy smiled.

"Uh, I would feel more comfortable calling you Dr. Shepherd, Dr. Shepherd, you are my boss and all." She watched as Alex switched from foot to foot. She knew that neither she nor Alex were used to having to pretend not to be interested in each other. Ever since they were little kids they were always Meredith and Alex. Alex wasn't Alex without Meredith and Meredith wasn't Meredith without Alex. It was the way they were.

Derek's smile didn't falter. "Well you did well in surgery today. Ever consider Nuero?"

"It's only my first day. I'd like to keep my options open."

"Technically, it's your second." He laughed making her fell obliged to force a giggle or two. "But I understand. It wasn't until my second year that I realized my ambitions were in Nuero." She nodded not really caring about the summery of his career. "Well, enjoy your time out of here. You don't get much of it."

She nodded. "Goodnight, Dr. Shepherd."

"You too, Dr. Grey." He smiled at her again as she pushed by.

"He wants you." Alex whispered trying to hide any jealousy in his voice.

"Well, he can't have me. I already have the only man I want."

He smiled as they walked to her car. "I'll meet you at home."

She nodded unclasping her necklace. She pulled the ring off of it and slipped it back onto her finger. He smiled at her.

"I'll see you at home." She smiled before opening her car door.


	30. Round Two

He gently played with her hair watching her sleep. Her chest rose and fell with each breath. He glanced up at the clock. Two more minutes then they would have to go back to playing this little charade that nearly killed him the day before. It was nearly ten o'clock and they had to be at the hospital at eleven-thirty for shift number two. Nine fifty-nine flashed on the clock. His eyes travel back to her hoping to prolong that moment they had together. For the next hour they would enjoy a shower together then hustle to get ready before sharing a kissing and heading to work in separate cars. Maybe he understood her reasoning for this all, but the more he said he was okay with people thinking he was being favored even if he knew it wasn't true the more she stressed that she wouldn't do that to him. In seven months, they were planning on walking down the aisle and getting married. What were they supposed to then? They would both come back for their week in the Bahamas with wedding rings on their fingers. People were bound to notice, and he wanted them to. He wanted them to know that Meredith Grey was his. He wanted Derek to get a clue and leave her alone. But she held strong to her reasoning and tried to make him understand that it was for the best. That he would be miserable if they were to accuse him of being favored by Richard.

The loud beeping of the alarm pulled him from his thoughts. Reaching over, he turned off the alarm before returning his eyes to Meredith. Maybe it would have been better if they had just gone to Mercy West.

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Izzie walked up to his side with a slight bounce in her step. He jumped when she first stared to speak.

"Hey." She smiled brightly.

"Hey." He mumbled back with his eyes trained on the back of his fiancé's head as she walked along with Christina.

"Did you enjoy our twelve hours of freedom?" She asked as he pushed open the door to the stairs. He hurried up them skipping a stair every few steps. She kept in tow as he nodded not really feeling up to talking. "What did you do?" She asked.

"Nothing." He shrugged, yet he did do something. He watched a movie with Meredith, had mind-blowing sex with Meredith, and fell asleep with Meredith in his arms, but he couldn't tell her that.

"I baked." She sighed. "I like to bake." She added. He just nodded. "George says I have the best muffins in the world."

"You and O'Malley are a… thing?" He asked as they walked down the hall towards the locker room. He had never pictured someone like Izzie Stevens ending up with someone like George O'Malley.

"No." She instantly said shaking her head. "We're roommates. We met our third year of college… Do you have any roommates?"

"Not exactly a roommate…" He mumbled walking into the locker room. "Hey." He announced before she could question what he had said.

Meredith looked up as she twisted the necklace around her neck adjusting the ring so it sat perfectly on her chest. She gave him a small smile as he passed which he returned before open his locker.

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She threw the charts down on the gurney before flopping back on it. Letting out a groan, she extended her feet propping them on the window sill. Running labs was not the glamorous part of being a doctor you hear about when you apply to medical school. She could hear a door close down the hall and footsteps echoed down the corridor. Closing her eyes, she hoped they would think she was asleep and would just leave her alone.

"I know you aren't asleep." He said causing her eyes to open as he jumped onto the gurney. He opened a bag of chips and popped two into his mouth. She rolled over onto her stomach and looked up at him.

"How?" She asked looking at him curiously.

"I've slept in the same bed with you long enough to know the difference."

She rolled her eyes at him and rested her head on his leg. "I am so tired, and it's all your fault."

"My fault?"

"You and your sex skills." She mumbled closing her eyes.

He chuckled. "Yeah I guess so."

She lifted her head and looked at him. He extended the bag of chips and she took a few out before returning her head to her arms. One by one, she ate the chips as silence settled over the two. She sat up and leaned against the wall next to him. Taking a few chips from the bag, she laid her head down on his shoulder.

"I love you." She whispered.

He wrapped his hand around hers. "I love you too."

His pager went off causing them to break apart. He kissed her cheek quickly before hurrying away.

She resumed her previous position lying down. She stared at the ceiling thinking mostly about Alex. When she heard a door shut again, she sat up and opened a chart then began reading it. She glanced up to see Derek Shepherd coming around the corner. He flashed a smiled at her when he noticed her looking up, but she didn't return it and just continued reading the chart.

"So this is where the intern's hide out?" He looked around before smiling at her.

She shrugged. "I guess."

He sat beside her and looked at the chart she was focused on. "What's that?"

"A chart?" She said as stating the obvious as a question.

"I can see that." He chuckled. "What's the case?"

"I don't know, Dr. Shepherd, something simple." She sighed hopping off the gurney grabbing her charts and walked off. He sighed and put his head against the wall.


	31. To My Last Night Of Sanity

She watched from the overpass as Alex handed a nurse a chart before walking away. She was leaning over the railing playing with her fingers. Her fingers grazed over her ring finger causing her to reach up to her necklace and play with her ring. Letting out a sigh, she let her hand fall to her side as she turned to walk away.

"Meredith?" His voice came causing her to jump. She looked at him.

"Hey." She smiled on her stepfather.

"How's the whole… arrangement going?" He asked walking along side her.

"Hell." She sighed rubbing her face.

"Your mother is coming back tomorrow."

"Ugh, don't remind me."

"Mer, she's still your mother."

She turned and looked at him tears filling her eyes. "No, no she's not. My mother is a strong, strong woman and surgeon. She might not have been the best mother all the time, but that woman is not my mother."

He touched her arm. "Meredith, she's…"

"She's an empty shell of what my mother used to be." She said sharply before turning to walk away.

"Meredith…"

She turned to look at him. "I can't do it anymore, Richard. I don't want to see my mother like this. I have to relive every moment of hell I've ever endured. You have no clue what it was like for me before you came back into our lives."

"It hurts me too."

She shook her head. "I don't want to talk about this anymore. I just want to…"

"I know." He nodded wrapping his arm around her shoulders as they walked down the hall.

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He sat across from her, but she didn't look up. She continued to stare at her salad as she stabbed through it. He waited her for her to speak, but she did not.

"Meredith?" He said quietly trying to get her attention.

"Mom is coming back tomorrow."

"Oh." He said quietly. "What did Richard say?"

She rubbed her eyes. "We fought for a minute. I can't… do this anymore. Richard can't be the support. I don't know how much longer I can."

"Mer, you can't be everything."

"Who is going to be? Richard can't be because half the time he's the jackass that wouldn't leave his wife for her. I'm to only constant in her life."

"Meredith…"

She took a deep breath to keep from crying. "What?"

"Just remember one day they might find a cure. One day, she might return to being the doctor she was."

She smiled slightly and nodded wiping her eyes. "Thank you, Alex."

"Your welcome, Mer."

They sat in silence for a few minutes.

"Hey, mind if we sit?" Izzie's voice came.

Meredith looked up to find her looking between the two of them. George stood close behind. She nodded causing Izzie to smile before sitting down. Izzie of course took the seat closest to Alex and George beside her.

"What's up?" Izzie asked in her bubbly voice.

"Nothing," Meredith mumbled picking through her salad.

"Ugh, the Nazi has me running crazy." Christina moaned as she sat down beside Meredith. Meredith raised an eye brow at her. "Pit." She answered.

"Ah, well, at least you aren't delivering labs." Meredith said.

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Their shift ended at nine o'clock that night. Izzie invited them to the bar. Well, she more invited Alex. Meredith jumped in and told them she wanted to tag along since Christina was meeting them there.

They walked into the unfamiliar bar. Back in college and med school Meredith and Alex went to a bar called Penne Lucy's Bar. It set up like that, nothing fancy. Meredith liked it that way. She followed George towards the bar and took a seat with Alex on one side of her and George on the other.

"We have some new faces tonight?" The bartender said.

"You'll be seeing this face around here a lot." Meredith smiled.

"Well in that case, I'm Joe." He said.

"Meredith."

"George."

"Izzie."

"Alex."

"What can I get for you, Meredith, George, Alex, Izzie?" He asked.

"Beer." Izzie, Alex, and George answered at the same time.

Joe reached under the bar and withdrew three beers. "And for you?"

"A shot glass and your finest bottle of Jose Cuervo." She said.

"What else?" Joe asked setting a shot glass on the bar.

"That's it."

"That's it?" She nodded. "Straight up tequila. You'll be sorry in the morning."

"I'm always sorry in the morning." She sighed as he opened the bottle of tequila.

"What are you drinking to?" Izzie asked as she drowned the first shot slamming it down on the table.

"To my last night of sanity." She said.

Nobody else knew why, but Alex did. They all thought that it would be the program to drive her insane and that was what she was referring to, but he knew. He knew that today was the last day she didn't have to be the one to take care of her mother. Tomorrow, they would be flying her back from New York Regional Hospital to put her back in the nursing home.

He watched as she drowned another and about ten minutes later another.


	32. Ten Years Old

She walked into the nursing home in the late morning the next day unsure to what the day might hold. Silently, she wished that she had let Alex take off from work so he could be with her while she took care of this.

"May I help you?" A lady behind the counter said with a sweet smile on her face.

"Yes. Um, my mother, Ellis Grey, was flying back in from Boston today. Has she arrived?"

"Yes, she's in the living room if you'd like to see her." Meredith nodded. "Just sign in." She nodded again and signed in. "Straight through that door."

"Thank you."

"You're Welcome."

She pushed the door open to see a 'hotel-like' decorated room. There was hardwood floors with rugs laid out, a lit fireplace, couches, chairs, a couple tables with chairs around them, and big curtains that hung over the windows that had been tied back. Ellis sat in front of a window just staring out of it seemingly in her own world as she was most of the time. She walked over to her slipping into the chair across from her. There was a small table in between them. Ellis looked at her but quickly looked away.

"What are you doing here?" She snapped harshly. "I thought I said you could go home. I don't need you here anymore."

"Mom, it's me. Meredith."

"No, Meredith is a child. She's over at that boy's house… Alex or whatever."

"Mom, it's Meredith. It's me."

She looked at her again. "What are you doing here, Meredith? I thought I told you not to bother me at work."

"Mom, you aren't at work."

"Why aren't you with Alec or Alex or whatever?"

"I'm not a child anymore, Mom."

"Yes you are; you're only ten. Why are you here?"

"Mom…"

"Go home, Meredith!"

"How are you feeling?"

"I feel fine!" She yelled.

Meredith took a deep breath and nodded. "Mom, calm down." She grabbed her hand to stop her from twisting the watch around it. "Alright, calm down."

"What's this?" She grabbed her hand and looked at the ring. "Did you steal this? Where did you get this?"

"Mom, it's mine. Alex gave it to me."

"Where would he get something like this? He's nothing but a child."

"Mom…"

"I don't have time to deal with you and your… criminal acts. Go home and go play with Alex. GO!" She yelled.

"Alright… Mom. I'll see tomorrow, okay?"

"No, I'm working a 36 hour shift. I won't be home."

Meredith just nodded not bothering to waste her breath. She kissed the top of her mother's head before walking out.

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She sat in the locker room staring at the locker. A picture of herself and Alex not long after they met was taped to the back of her locker. They were playing the castle game. Alex was the night and shining armor, who came to save the princess but had to get up the slide. She smiled faintly at the memory before looking down at the ring on her finger. Her smile widened but not much. The door opened, but she did not move. Alex came in not noticing her at first as he took off his scrub top mumbling something about vomit and an annoying patient. He stopped and looked at her.

"Hey."

"Hey." She smiled back at him before returning her eyes to the picture in the back of her locker. He sat down beside her.

"How'd it go?" He asked taking her hand in his.

"She remembered you… as a ten-year-old but mentioned you none the less." He smiled at her. "She… She, ah, thought we stole the ring." She said rubbing her nose and laughed. Alex chuckled as well.

"You okay?" He asked once her laugher died.

"I think so." She looked at him as he wrapped his arm around her and she leaned into his bare chest. "I love you."

"I love you too."

He played with her hair and they sat like that for almost twenty minutes without saying anything.


	33. Secrets

It was hard as it was everyday to keep their love a secret. But especially today. She held so many secrets within her mind. Secrets that nobody could find out. Secrets that only Alex and Richard knew. She walked through the hospital, through her daily routine trying to avoid as much conversation as possible. She stuck around the pit to try and avoid any conversation with Derek again. Lunchtime rolled around. She grabbed a sandwich, bag of chips, and water before heading to the basement to eat by herself.

It was raining when she got down there and sat down on the gurney. Silence engulfed her and for the first time all day there was total peace. No words were spoken. No monitors beeped. No patients whined. No families cried. Everything just sat silently content with where it was.

It didn't last long. Footsteps soon interrupted the serenity she had found in the silence. Annoyed, she slumped down on the wall a little further in hopes not to be seen and they would just go and silence would return.

"What are you doing down here?" She asked straightening herself when she noticed it was her fiancé.

He jumped slightly at the sound of her voice. He shrugged jumping beside her. She rested her head on his shoulder as he stole a couple of chips. "How are you holding up?"

She shrugged. "Just trying to avoid… people."

"How's it going?"

"Okay, I guess." She sighed. "I feel like… I don't know. We have so many secrets and everyone is everywhere all the time."

He nodded taking her hand. "Everything will be okay."

It wasn't the time for him to point out that it was her decision to make it this way.

"You think?"

"Yeah." He answered kissing the top of her head.

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They both got off at eight that night. Alex stopped to get some food for dinner.

"Hey." He called once he walked into the door pushing it shut with his foot.

"Hey." She called back from the kitchen. He set down his bag and headed in the direction of her voice. She was standing in the kitchen trying to pour herself a glass of wine She was wearing a pair of black track-type pants and a white camisole. Her hair was up in a messy bun. All the make-up of the day was washed off. As he stood in the doorway of the kitchen, she was still the most gorgeous person he had ever seen. She brushed a few hairs out of her eyes as she continued to try to get the cork out of the bottle.

He set the food down before walking over. Wrapping his arms around her from behind, he twisted the corkscrew and popped it out.

"Thanks." She said turning to face him. He wrapped his arms around her waist tighter. He kissed her lightly on the head then the lips. "Did you have a good day?" She asked as he laid his forehead on hers swaying back and forth.

"Yeah. You?"

"I guess." She smiled at him before kissing him lightly. "What did you get?"

"Vietnamese." He answered as she turned back around.

"Do you want to watch a movie? I want to watch a movie."

"Sounds great." He said laying his chin down on her shoulder. She poured herself some wine and looked over at him. He looked back with out moving his head then smiled as she kissed his cheek.

"Bring the food." She said as she walked towards the living room.

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They, well she, decided on which movie they should watch. He was fine with it as long as it made her happy. After eating, she had assumed the position with her head on his chest and her feet pulled up onto the couch. He played with her hair more focusing on her then the movie playing on the screen. By the time, the movie was half over small snores were erupting from her mouth. He smiled to himself and kissed her head. Turning off the TV, he struggled to hold her jump, slip out from under her, and lift her into his arms.

"Alex." She mumbled wrapping her arms around his neck and nuzzling into his chest.

He carried her up the stairs to the bedroom and laid her down in her spot. After pulling the covers over her and making sure she was comfortable, he changed and slipped into bed with her.

"I love you, Mer." He whispered as he kissed her head and wrapped his arm around her.

She subconsciously nuzzled closed to him. "I love you too." She mumbled before falling back into a deep sleep. He smiled to himself before shutting his eyes himself.


	34. Give Him A Chance

They returned to work bright and early the next day. When they got to the locker room, Izzie and George were changing and talking or maybe fighting.

"Hey guys." George, who was facing the door, said when they came in.

"Hey." They both grunted as they walk to their lockers.

"Wasn't getting off at eight great." Izzie said in her too-cheerful-to-be-human-this-early-in-the-morning voice. "We missed you at Joe's."

"I had things to do." Alex mumbled pulling his shirt off. George looked at Meredith wondering why she ducked out as well.

"I was too tired." She shrugged opening her locker watching Alex from the corner of her eye.

"Anyway…" Izzie said breaking the brief silence. "How about Joe's tonight? Alex, you in?"

He looked at Meredith briefly who didn't say or do anything. "Ah, I don't know."

"Oh come on. Please." She pouted and looked at Meredith. "Will you come, Meredith?"

She shrugged. "I'll let you know."

"Party poopers." She huffed.

"Izzie, you sound like a five year old."

Izzie rubbed her face. "It's so early."

And there it was. The human side of Isobel Stevens.

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"I'll let you know, Mr. Hamilton, when your tests come back. Dr. Shepherd will be in to talk to you soon." She said before walking out with a sigh.

She began walking down the hall when she felt someone following her. Turning her head, she saw Derek not five feet behind her.

"Is there something I can do for you Dr. Shepherd?" She asked in a tone she probably shouldn't use with her superior as she continued to walk down the hall.

"Yes." He said simply.

She stopped and turned on her heels to look at him. "Yes Dr. Shepherd?" She asked as he caught up to her.

"There are several things you can help me with actually."

She wasn't sure if she should interrupt that into something dirty or not. "Which would be?"

"Well, you can help me consult on a patient. You could come get a drink with me after work. You could let me pick you up at eight to go to Joe's. See you could a lot of things for me."

"While that is a very generous offer and all… I will have to say no. What room is the patient in?"

Derek let out a cocky laugh. "You're stubborn."

"What room is the patient in?" She repeated ignoring his comment.

He cocked his head to the side slightly and gave her a smile. "Are you sure you don't want to take me up on any of my other offers?"

"Dr. Shepherd, when you're ready to be professional and let me do my job page me. Until then, I will be in the pit." She said turning on her heel.

"Alright, alright Dr. Grey." He said grabbing her arm. "Room 4929, let's go."

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"You should really give him a chance."

She looked up to see who was talking to her. Dr. Mark Sloan stood gesturing the seat. With a slight nod, she allowed him to sit down. "Give who a chance?" She asked folding her arm across her chest.

"Derek."

"Shepherd?"

He nodded sipping his coffee. "He's a good guy."

"Here's what I don't understand."

"What's that?"

"You're an attending wasting their time talking to an intern. He's an attending wasting his time with an intern."

He laughed nodding slightly. "Well, I'm not one to talk or even care about interns. But I'll be straight with you. You're Richard's daughter. You're hot. You're a very hot intern."

"I'll take that as a compliment." She giggled.

"You should. Now, Derek, he doesn't see you as an intern or even that he's trying to cross into the dangerous territory of dating his boss's daughter. See, I recognize this. That is the reason I am not hitting on you as I normally would when I'm talking to a beautiful woman." He gave her a McSteamy smile causing her to laugh.

"Okay…" She said with an uncertain voice to where it was going.

He said back. "You should give him a chance."

She would usually snap or chew someone's ass out for getting in her business, but she liked Dr. Sloan.

"I don't think it would work out." She smiled standing up. "But, thank you for your advice, Dr. Sloan. And thank you for the complements and not hitting on me."

"Just be open minded, Dr. Grey."

She laughed. "You too, Dr. Sloan. I'll see you around."

"Bye." He laughed as she walked away.

_**------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**_

_**Alright, before everyone gets mad at me, she doesn't like Mark like… 'I want to meet you in the on-call room' but in a more… friend way. I wanted there to still be some MerMark interaction, so… I made them friends.**_


	35. The Truth

She rubbed her temple as the hold message replayed for the tenth time. Letting out a groan, she fell back onto the gurney.

"Dr. Grey?" A voice came.

She popped up. "Yes."

"Okay, so what can we for you?"

She groaned. "I need my order to be checked."

"Alright, let me check my computer. You ordered two dozen red roses in a bouquet?"

"No, no, no." She moaned rolling onto her stomach. "I ordered the…" She flipped open the magazine. "F0211 bouquet."

"Okay, will you please hold?"

"No I don't want…"

"Flowers Inc. tries very hard…"

She let out a groan as they put her one hold once again.

"What's the occasion?"

She jumped at the sound of Christina's voice. She and Christina had actually gotten along pretty well. There was an immediate connection between the two. "What?" She asked sitting up.

"What's the occasion?" She asked again. "The flowers, Mer. The flowers."

"Oh, they're for my friend." She quickly lied.

Christina looked at the magazine to find the F0211 bouquet circled. She read the description. "It's a wedding bouquet."

"She's, ah, getting married."

"I'm not stupid." She said sitting beside her. "Barbie and Bambi or Shepherd and Sloan might not have noticed it, but I'm not that stupid. You wear a ring."

Meredith looked down at her hand. "Yeah, well, I'm trying to keep it under wraps."

"Who is he?" She asked laying back.

"Uh…." She paused for long enough to make Christina know something was up. "You don't know him." She said quickly.

"You're lying. Who is it? The guy up in pediatrics? Or radiology guy?"

She grimaced shaking her head thinking of the fat sweaty radiology guy or the scary 'clown' guy. "Hell no."

"Good… cause I would have to like… disown you as a friend." Meredith laughed as Christina rolled onto her stomach. "So who is it?"

She contemplated telling her before sighing. "You can not tell anyone." She stressed the 'anyone.' Christina nodded. "Alex is my fiancé."

"Alex Kerev?!?"

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"_We'll talk later… You can come to my house after work." _That was how she ended the conversation in the basement when she heard footsteps coming.

She and Christina got off at six that day and Alex was getting off after nine hours of surgery at seven. Meredith was silently happy he was in all day surgery so Christina had on chance to talk to him about it.

They met in the parking lot and Christina followed Meredith to her house.

"So this is where you live with Evil Spawn."

"With Alex? Yes." She giggled. She unlocked the door and let her friend into the house.

After getting a couple of drinks, they sat down in the living room in silence.

"Are you going to tell me?" Christina said after a few minutes.

Meredith nodded. "I met Alex when I was five. We lived on the same street and were best friends for ever. I was always at his house when my mother was working and doing whatever she did. He was always there from me and I was always there for him. We went to the same schools and everything. We ended up going to Dartmouth together and our first day back at the house our second year we went to a party. I got drunk and all that and we wound up having sex. But long story short our second year of medical school he asked me to marry him."

"So you're getting married?"

"I'm getting married."

"To Evil Spawn?"

"To Evil Spawn." She giggled.

"Congratulations." Christina mumbled.

"Thank you."

"When is the wedding?"

Christina wasn't used to the whole actually caring about this kind of stuff. Her mother had gotten married five times so she never really thought much of a wedding, but she and Meredith became friends… really good friends and she decided to be there for her.

"In two months."


	36. Sick

_A week later…_

The past week had gone on the same. Alex and Meredith pretended not to be a couple around everybody other than Christina, who Alex was a little surprised to find out that Meredith had told. Derek continued to ask Meredith out, and Meredith continued to say 'no' to him. Izzie continued to flirt with Alex. And work continued to be grueling.

She climbed the stairs carrying a stack of charts. She groaned as she took a seat on one. She wasn't sure if it was lack of sleep or if she had picked up a bug from a patient, but she was definitely feeling like crap and probably looked like it too. Her pager went off and the word 'lab' flashed across it. She moaned and got up before heading back down the stairs.

"You look like crap." Christina's voice came as she ran down the steps.

"I feel like crap." Meredith said in a sick voice.

"You better not get me sick." Meredith rolled her eyes. "Did Evil Spawn keep you up too late last night?"

"No. I fell asleep as soon as I got home. I have to shake this thing before Bailey finds out."

"How do you plan on doing that? Not even I, the amazing doctor I am, could make you not look sick."

"Thank you for that. You boost your ego even when I look like this."

"You know it." She laughed. "Where are you headed?"

"Lab."

"I'll walk with you. Maybe just being in my presence will cure you."

"Shut up."

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"Hey, Meredith!" George called from down her hall before hurrying towards her. "Do you want to head to Joe's with me, Alex, Izzie, and Christina?"

She had made herself look not as sick, but still felt like crap. "Nah, I think I'm just going to go home and sleep."

"You sure?"

"Yeah, I'm not feeling too great."

"Alright, see you tomorrow then."

Meredith nodded before walking into the locker room with her arm wrapped around her stomach. She groaned as she laid down on the bench. Hopefully, she could just hide out in the locker room until her shift ended in twenty minutes.

"What's wrong?"

"Huh?" She opened her eyes to have them met with Alex's.

"What's wrong? You look sick."

"I'm fine." She said sitting up as he sat beside her. "Just a bug or something."

He wrapped his arm around her pulling her closer to him. "You sure?"

"I'm fine." She said shutting her eyes as she laid her head down on his chest.

"I known you for how long? I'm pretty sure I know better then to believe you when you say 'I'm fine."' He rubbed her back as he talked softly.

"I'm just ready to go home."

"I'll come with you."

"No, go to Joe's." She said standing up.

"Mer…"

"Alex…" She said loudly before sighing. "Go to Joe's. I'll be fine. I'm just going to go sleep."

He stood up wrapping his arms around his waist. "Are you sure?"

"Yes. I'll be fine."

He kissed the back of her head. "Promise?"

"I promise." She turned around and kissed his cheek before opening her locker.

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She walked into the house and up the stairs not bothering to eat. She walked into her room and fell back onto the bed. Sleep almost instantly came over her. Just as peace of silence fell over the room, her stomach turned and she was sent running to the bathroom.

_**------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**_

_**What's wrong with her??? Who knows…? **_


	37. Sick 2 and What do you think?

He returned home after only one beer. He didn't have as much fun as he normally would and as he had in the past when he's gone to Joe's bar. He figured it was because of one of two reasons. Either he was too worried about Meredith to unwind or Meredith's absence caused it to be more boring than normal. For the last, six or seven years even before he was allowed to drink by law he had always drunk with Meredith. There were very few times throughout school did he go out without her. Walking up the stairs, he heard nothing but silence. Pushing the door open, he found her asleep in bed. Her skin was slightly pail from what he could see from the faint glow of the moon and the beam from the hallway. After changing out of his jeans and shirt until he was in nothing else but his boxers and brushing his teeth and such, he climbed into bed beside her. She instantly got closer to him as the bed evened out again, but she didn't awake. He kissed her cheek softly and wrapped his arm around her. Hopefully, she would feel better in the morning and they would be able to go out somewhere after work.

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No such luck…

It was nearly two in the morning when he was awoken from his sleep as the bed creaked to find his arms empty and the bathroom light shining into the room. Rubbing his eyes, he got up stumbling towards the bathroom. Pushing the door open, he rubbed his eyes trying to adjust to the light.

"Mer, you okay?" He mumbled in a sleepy voice. After receive no more than a moan, he opened his eyes fully blinking a few times to find her sitting on the floor with her back against the shower. "What's wrong?" He asked his voice full of concern.

"I'm fine. Just go back to bed, I'll be right there." She groaned before rolling back onto the toilet and continuing to empty her already empty stomach. He hurried over and held back her hair stroking her back.

As she rolled back onto the floor, she let out another moan rubbing her stomach in a pain. He felt her head to find it slightly warm but nothing too alarming.

"Are you okay?" He asked pulling her closer to him.

"I don't know." She mumbled closing her eye as she buried her head into her chest. He rubbed her back and ran her fingers through her hair. He could feel the little beads of sweet and her watering eyes on his bare chest as her breath began to become regular. Within five minutes, she had fallen asleep. He carefully lifted her off the cold titled floor and carried her back to the bed. After making sure she was comfortable, he went downstairs, got her some ginger ale, and left it beside the bed incase she needed it.

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The morning wasn't much better. She woke up nauseated and still weak from the lack of fluid in her stomach even after drinking the glass of ginger ale. Alex made her some toast being all that she felt she could stomach.

"Mer?" He said walking into the bedroom to find her putting on her shoes. "Are you sure?"

"Yes." She sighed rubbing her temple.

"You can call in. Richard would understand."

"I'm not getting any special treatment, Alex. We're interns. We come to work sick or well. I'll be fine."

"You need to stay home."

"I'm fine." She walked past him. "Don't worry.

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_**I don't normally do this but I am stuck with this decision and can't decide. Should Mer be pregnant or sick with another disease? I've had reviews saying yes and no indirectly and directly, now I'm asking directly. What do you think?**_


	38. Seeing The Doctor

_**Okay so it was tie between the two… 8 for not and 8 for pregnant. What will I do? Read to find out… I don't know what I'll do either… We'll all be surprised **__****_

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He watched her carefully as she walked down the hall still not looking any better than she had that morning. She had her eyes shut as she rubbed her stomach. Putting down a chart, he walked over.

"Hey."

She opened her eyes and looked at him. "Hey."

"How are you feeling?" She just shrugged as they continued down the hall. "You don't look any better."

"Cause I don't feel any better." She snapped before sighing. "Sorry."

"Do you need to go home?"

"No… I just need to sit down." She mumbled as she fell back into a seat.

"Come on… We can get Yang to check you out." She looked up at him with reluctant eyes. He held out his hands. "It will be fine."

Reluctantly, she nodded as he helped her up. He helped her down the hall ordering a nurse to page Christina while he got her to a room.

"This better be good." She threatened coming in. "Who knows what kind of surgery I could be missing because I'm here."

"Shut up." Meredith moaned.

"Where did Mc- Hubby- to- be go?" She asked. "The nurse said he paged me."

"He had a patient."

She sighed. "So what's wrong?"

"Nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain…"

"Mer, you're a doctor. This is something a freaking monkey could diagnose in the dark." She said palpating her stomach. "It's either your pregnant which wouldn't be a shock…"

"Why? Are you calling me a whore?" She said slightly offended.

"Well Mc-Hubby- to- be has got to be good. I mean there has to be a reason you stayed with him for… forever."

She rolled her eyes. "Shut up."

"Or you have appendicitis." She put her hand on her head. "Which would explain the fever. God to have completed med school… you can be an idiot."

"Just do a damn blood test."

After taking some blood, she left leaving Meredith alone in the exam room. Could she be pregnant? The timing would definitely suck. She waited for a while before the door opened and Richard walked in.

"Why didn't you tell me were sick? Or call in today?" He asked.

"I don't want special treatment, Richard." She said sharply. "I'm an intern. I can't just call in because I have a tummy ache."

He sighed and nodded knowing that she was right. "Okay. But you aren't going back to work. You stay here until Yang gets the results back."

She sighed not wanting to put up a fight. She didn't have the strength to do that. "Okay."

"Alright, I'll be back in a little bit."

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_**As I said before… I have no clue weather or not to make her pregnant. That is the reason this is so short. Before I update again I will have made up my mind on weather or not Meredith should be preggers or not. Thanks for reading and voting **__****__** Anyone who hasn't put in their two cents and would like to help me make a decision the polls are still open so to speak. **_


	39. Diagnosis

_**I've got a plan. Don't worry… Most people will be pleased I believe. **_

_**------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**_

It was less than a half an hour later that Christina delivered the news that she was not pregnant but she had appendicitis and was scheduled for surgery immediately. Bailey was the lucky surgeon to remove it. The surgery went flawlessly and she was sent a room to recover.

"How long has she been out?" Izzie asked standing in the doorway.

"What?" Alex said with his mouth full of chips.

"How long has Meredith been out?" She repeated leaning on the doorframe.

He looked up her who was sleeping peacefully in bed. "About an hour and a half."

"She should be coming out of it soon… What are you doing up here anyway?"

He shrugged. "Just trying to do some charts." He gestured the charts on his laps. "It's quieter in here than out there."

She nodded. "I have to go. Want to go to Joe's tonight?"

"I'm on-call."

"Oh." She looked a little bummed but smiled slightly. "Okay, maybe tomorrow?"

"Yeah, maybe tomorrow."

She turned and walked away as the door shut.

"I think she's jealous." She said in a groggy voice as she opened her eyes.

"Stevens?"

"You mean it's not obvious?"

"I guess you're right." He leaned forward half leaning on the bed as he pushed the hairs out of her face. "You have nothing to worry about."

She smiled slightly. "Really?"

He smiled back nodding slightly. "Yeah." He leaned forward and kissed her.

Somebody cleared their throat and he jumped back.

"You're lucky it was me and not… Bailey or a nurse." Christina laughed walking over.

She rolled her eyes. "How am I looking, Doctor?"

"Like crap which is actually a step up seeing as before you were like… crap's crap."

"Thanks. What a sweet friend."

"I know it." Christina picked up the chart and opened the chart. A pager went off and both Alex and Christina looked at it.

"Me." Alex sighed, standing up. "I'll be back. Okay?" She nodded as he kissed her cheek. "Take care of her Yang." He said as he passed by.

"Uh-huh." She sighed taking the seat Alex previously had occupied. Meredith turned to look at her.

"OR empty?" She asked knowing the only reason Christina would be there is if there was nothing in the OR.

"Yeah." Christina said nodding.

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"Well the freaking flower place finally got the order down. And it will be delivered the day before the big day." She said putting her phone down as Alex walked in.

"I can see you're not high anymore." He chuckled, sitting down at the end of her bed.

"No, not high, just stressed."

"Wedding plans?" She nodded letting her head fall back. "I told you we should have just let Mom take care of it."

"Mama Kerev is busy enough as is. We don't need to add a wedding to her plate."

"You're busy enough too. You're just starting your internship."

"It will be fine." She said taking his hand. "There are what… thirty people coming. It's a small wedding if you consider people who invite the up side of two hundred people to a freaking wedding that costs as much a house and three cars."

He chuckled nodding. "True. Are you sure there's nothing me or Mama can help with?"

"Not right now… I just needed to get the flowers done and Mama already said that she'll straighten out the cook… You know I love you right?" He nodded. "Well I hate you for proposing and making me go through wedding plans."

He laughed standing up. "Sorry." He kissed her lightly on the lips.

There was a knock at the door. Alex took the seat not far from the bed propping his feet up on the bedside table.

"Come in." She called. The door opened and Derek walked in followed by Mark. Instantly feeling slightly uncomfortable that she was wearing near nothing but a hospital gown under the blankets, she pulled the blanket up to her chin.

"Dr. Grey…" Derek said smiling at her. His smile fell when he saw Alex with a cocky smile on his face. "Dr. Kerev."  
Alex held the cocky smile as he gave him a cocky wave.

"Ah… Dr. Shepherd, Dr. Sloan, what brings you to my hospital room?"

"Well, we were in the area…" Mark started.

"We wanted to see how you were doing." Derek finished smiling broadly.

"Thank you for your concern. I'm doing fine." She smiled politely.

Not taking the hint, they stood there. Alex got annoyed with them and turned on the TV.

"Ah, Dr. Shepherd, Dr. Sloan, don't stay here on account of me. I'm fine. It was just an appendix." She said looking at the unsure of what else to say.

"No, it's no trouble." Derek said rocking from the heels of his feet to the balls of his feet.

"Um…" She wasn't sure what to say.

"Dr. Kerev? Don't you have some work to do?" Derek asked.

"Nope." He answered not removing his eyes from the TV.

Derek looked obviously annoyed by the fourth party in the room.

"Um, if you two don't mind." She said notice Christina walking to the door but stopping once she notice the older doctors in the room. "She needs to check my stitches."

They turned and looked at the intern standing in the door.

"I could do that for you. After all I am the plastic surgeon." Mark offered with a cocky grin.

"No, I'm sure you are much to busy to worry yourself with something as minor as this. Thank you again for stopping by. Sorry we had to cut it short."

They looked a little shocked as they were ushered out of the room. Christina shut the door. "You do know I just checked your stitches like twenty minutes ago."

"I know… I just wanted them out."

"I was just letting you know that me, Izzie, and George are going to eat in here."

"Aw how sweet? I get to watch you guys eat food while I digest ice chips. You're so sweet."

Alex laughed. "I'll be back in a few minutes." He stood up kissed her cheek and walked out.

_**------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**_

_**So she has appendicitis. I hope that even those who wanted her pregnant will stick with me and continue to read… everything will be okay just stick with me… please. **_


	40. Good Or Bad Omen

"What's going on?" Christina asked walking in with her tray of food to find Alex and Meredith laughing hysterically.

"Nothing." Meredith said shaking her head. "How was surgery?"

"Amazing as always." She sat down

"So what? Burke let you in his scrubs afterwards?"

"Shut up, Evil Spawn. I'm not sleeping with Burke."

"But you want to." He smirked at her.

Christina rolled her eyes. The door opened after a short knock and Izzie and George walked in with their lunches.

"Hey guys." Izzie said in an overly cheery voice.

"How are you feeling, Mer?" George asked.

"I'm fine." She shrugged. "Ready to get back to work."

"Yeah, keep dreaming." Christina cut in.

Izzie sat down next to Alex near the bed and George at down in the chair pushed against the wall at the foot of the bed.

"How does it feel to have one organ less?" George asked before stuffing a couple of chips in his mouth.

Meredith giggled. "It feels the same."

"It was funny when she was high on morphine earlier. You missed it. It was hilarious." Alex laughed and Meredith hit him.

A pager went off and all the doctors who were working looked down at theirs. Alex sighed. "Me."

"Aw… Bye Evil Spawn." Christina said.

Alex rolled his eyes as he stood up. "I'll see you guys later."

"Bye." They all said.

He looked down at Meredith and almost kissed her as a force of habit but refrained. "Get better, Grey."

"Yeah." She smiled at him as he walked out.

"Do you think he has a girlfriend?" Izzie asked biting the end of her straw. Christina started choking on her drink to keep from laughing.

"What?" Meredith said louder than she expected as she looked over at her. "Who?"

"Alex."

"Why… Why do you want to know?" She said trying to hide any trace of possessiveness in her voice.

"I don't know… I might ask him to get a drink with me… as a date." She said looking down. She smiled when she looked up at Alex. "Anyway, I was asking you because he seems to talk to you the most. I figured you might know."

Once again, Christina tried not to laugh by coughing.

"I… I wouldn't know." Meredith stuttered.

"He seems like he has a girlfriend." George said.

"What?" Izzie said looking at him.

"Well half the time he doesn't come out to Joe's and he might flirt with a nurse but he doesn't do anything." He shrugged. "Just an observation."

"Or who knows maybe he's engaged or married." Christina said raising her eyebrows at Meredith who was glaring at her.

"He doesn't seem like someone who would settle down. I mean he makes inappropriate comments and he's Evil Spawn." Izzie said.

"Then why do you want to date him if he's Evil Spawn and makes inappropriate comments and calls you Dr. Model?" Meredith asked.

"I don't know. He's cute." Izzie shrugged.

Meredith's cell phone started to ring. She reached over and looked at the caller id.

"I have to take this." She said before opening the phone. "Hello?"

"Well, they say it's bad luck if the groom sees the bride on wedding day or if the bride's car doesn't start the first time or if the bride or groom passes a funeral service on the way to the church, but I have never heard anything about getting surgery two months before the wedding." Mary Kerev laughed into the phone.

Meredith laughed. "We'll find out soon enough I guess."

"I guess we have."

"What do you mean?"

"Well I got a call from the owner of the courthouse out there. He said he couldn't get a hold of you or Alex. Alex had called me about twenty minutes earlier saying that you were going into surgery so I presume that why you didn't answer your phone. Well, he seems to have overbooked."

"Overbooked! How could have overbooked? He already cashed my freaking check."

"Well, his planning book went missing and when it turned back up he already booked a wedding three months earlier."

"What are we supposed to do now? I mean it's in two months."

"He says he'll either fully refund us or he'll refund us fifty percent and we can change the date."

"We can't find another place in so little time."

"I think we should change the date then. The place is beautiful out there and everything. But there's a catch."

"There's always a catch." She groaned. "Alright I'm ready. What is it?"

"He's booked solid for three months after the date we had chosen."

"This can't be happening. I think that we should just do Vegas."

Mary laughed. "I don't think so, Mer."

"What should we do?"

"Now don't flip, okay?"

"Okay."

"He has an opening in two months." She said quickly followed by. "He can provide flowers for free. You already have your dress. Alex can get his tux. And I can fly in to help… Are you overwhelmed?"

"Yeah a little bit…" She took a deep breath. "Okay, Mama. Do you think it's best?"

"Yes I do. If not we have to find another place or get married some time next year."

"No… I don't want to wait that long… Two weeks it is… Just let me talk to him and Richard and I'll call you back as soon as I can."

"Alright, Mer. You're being a great sport about this all."

"Well, if I see the owner I might strangle him."

Mary laughed. "Alright. I'll let you rest."

"Okay. Love you, Mama."

"Love you too. Tell my son that I love him."

Meredith giggled. "I can do that."

"Bye, Mer."

"Bye, Mama." She hung up rubbing her temple. "Today is not my day."

"Why? What's wrong?" Izzie asked and Meredith's eyes popped open.

"Nothing… Just the place… an event is being held at got overbooked." She glanced at Christina. "And we might have to change the date."

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"Mama said she loves you." She said when he walked in her room.

"Really?" He mumbled crawling into the bed resting his head on her chest careful not to hit her scar.

"Yeah." His eyes were already closed as she rubbed his back. "Did you just get out of surgery?" He nodded. "I have to talk to you."

"I'm too tired to talk." He mumbled into her chest.

"We have to it's about the maybe faster approaching than we originally thought wedding."

"What are you talking about?"

"Mama called and said the courtyard is overbooked and that we have three options find a new place, push the wedding back until next year, or do it in two weeks."

He picked up his head and looked at her. "Two weeks?"

She nodded. "Two weeks."

He groaned and let his head fall back to her chest. "Is there anyway we can find a new place?"

"I don't think so."

"Is two weeks enough time to finish getting ready?"

She ran her fingers along his head. "Maybe… Probably. Mama said she can fly in to help me finish and Richard won't let me come back to work for a week and…"

"Mer… Let's do it."


	41. Mama Kerev Comes To Town

_**I hope you guys still like this story because I don't have plans of ending it any time soon and I'm already at Chapter 41. It's going to be a long one.**_

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Mama Kerev was flying in that day and Alex was leaving work to pick her up. Meredith was released from the hospital the day before and was still too sore to drive. They were going to try to get through food for the wedding and run it by Alex when he got back from work. Richard was then going to come over later that evening for dinner and they were going to try to get some more planning done.

Alex had called her about forty minutes earlier saying that he had left the hospital and was heading to the airport. She sat in bed flipping through another bridal magazine angrily ripping a page out. She hated wedding planning and now they had two weeks to do it. She wished Alex could have stayed home. Her stomach was killing her and she could barely move. Throughout the day Richard, Alex, and Christina took turns coming over to help her, but she wanted her fiancé there.

Her fiancé. When were they supposed to tell everyone about this? Have they proven themselves enough? She dropped the magazine to her legs and sighed. They needed to tell them, but when… but how.

She heard the door opened and she attempted to sit up more. Letting out a cry, she fell back against the pillow. She didn't want just lay there for the next couple of days.

"Mer?" His voice echoed the house.

"Upstairs." She yelled back shutting the magazine.

She could hear Mary and Alex say something to each other before she could hear them coming up the stairs. The door opened and Mary burst through.

"Meredith, it's so good to see you."

She had aged since she had met her and Alex, but her personality hadn't.

Meredith smiled. "Hey, Mama Kerev. It's good to see you too."

Mary hurried to the bed and kissed Meredith's cheek. "How are you feeling?"

Meredith smiled a little. "Okay I guess… Just sore."

"You let me know if you need anything… anything."

Meredith nodded. "Thank you so much for coming."

"I wouldn't want to be anywhere else."

Alex cleared his throat. "You think I could see my fiancé too, Mom."

Mary giggled getting up. "Well, son, I guess you've earned that much. I've got to go put my coat down. I'll be right back."

Meredith nodded as Alex walked to the other side of the bed sitting down. Mary shut the door as she walked out. Wrapping his head around hers, he leaned over and kissed her gently on the lips.

"How are you feeling?" He asked resting his forehead against hers.

"Just a little sore."

"A little?" He smiled at her.

"Okay a lot, but it's nothing to get too worried about. I was an appendectomy. We've been interns for less than two weeks and we've seen how many appendectomies? It's not like I'm dying."

He smiled at her mini-ramble. "Do need anything? I don't have to be at work for forty-five minutes."

"No I'm fine."

"You sure?" She nodded. "Alright, I'll be back later, okay?"

"Don't worry about me. I'm fine. A little abdominal surgery… not too bad."

He chuckled and kissed her again. "I love you."

"I love you too."

Meredith had always brought a side that the jackass in him would never show. She made him sweet and a gentleman, but around anyone else he was the jackass who makes inappropriate comments. All through college and med school, people would ask why she was with him if he was such a jackass. What they didn't know was who he really was. She knew him and always had known him without the barriers that kept his feelings to himself.

He kissed him one more time before standing up. "I'll see you later."

"Okay."

He smiled at her as he opened the door. His mother waited on the other side. He kissed her cheek. "See you later, Mom."

"I'll be here."

She walked in and sat down on the bed as Alex disappeared down the steps. The front door soon shut and the car outside started.

"Let's get started." Mary said with a wide smile. "We've got a wedding to plan."

Meredith giggled. "Let's."

They soon began talking about different foods working their way through a six page list of foods that each cook could make.

About an hour into the discussion, Meredith got wrapped up on the computer reading a more in depth description of a dish. She noticed Mary was staring at her. Looking at her, she ran her hand down her hair.

"What? Is something wrong with my hair or something?"

Mary laughed. "No nothing like that… I was just thinking."

Shutting her laptop, she turned more towards the woman she always thought of as her mother. "About what?"

"I always knew you and my son would end out together and get married."

"You did?" She smiled.

"Yep… Since the first day you guys played. Mother's intuition I suppose. And look at you now. You're getting married in two weeks. What did Alex do to deserve such a girl?"

Meredith laughed. "It's probably all thanks to you."

Mary laughed as well. "Thank you, Dear."

"I love you, Mama Kerev."

"I love you too, Mer." She wiped her eyes. "Look at me… crying like an idiot." Meredith giggled. "Let's get back to work."

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A car pulled up in the driveway casting lights into the living room where she laid. Mary walked in and handed her a drink.

"Here you go, Dear."

"Thank you."

Walking over to the window, Mary watched as her son walked across the lawn carrying a grocery bag full of food she had requested he pick up for dinner. The knob jiggled and he opened the door.

"Hey guys." He said putting down his work bag.

"Hey." They both called back.

Mary took the bag from him and he kissed her cheek. "How did it go?"

"Good." She smiled at him before walking into the kitchen as Alex walked towards Meredith.

"Hey."

He kissed her lightly at first. "Hey." They kissed again more passionately. "Did it really go good today? Mom didn't drive you crazy?"

"I heard that!" Mary yelled from the kitchen causing them to laugh.

"Mama Kerev? Never!"

Mary appeared in the doorway. "That's why I love her."


	42. No Regrets

Richard, Mary, Meredith, and Alex sat around the small table in the living room. Meredith feet were resting on Alex's lap as she laid back to reduce the pain on her stomach. He was mindlessly rubbing them as he talked to his mother and soon-to-be father-in-law or stepfather-in-law. After finishing all the wedding plans that could be made that day, they got onto different subjects.

"I'm going to get a drink. Need anything, Mer?" Alex asked standing up.

"Can you get me some ginger ale?" She asked. He nodded.

"You guys need anything?"

"No, I'm fine." Mary answered.

"No thanks." Richard answered as he walked out. "How are you feeling, Mer?'

She shrugged. "Just a little sore."

"What I want to know is what is this nonsense about not wanting anyone at the hospital to know about you and Alex?" Mary asked sitting forward.

Alex came back into the room handing her the drink. "Thank you." She took a sip and sighed. "We're surgical interns in a program that is top in the nation that about half the people who apply to get into the program get turned down. To top that we're at one of the best hospitals in the nation with doctors at the top of their programs. Everybody already knows that my mother is Ellis Grey and my stepfather is Richard Webber. So all anybody sees is I have a mommy and daddy that can get me into any program or hospital I chose. If everyone were to find out that Alex is a longtime friend and my fiancé they wouldn't see that he graduated with honors from Dartmouth. They see that Ellis Grey and Richard Webber are going to be his mother in-law and father in-law. Now everybody else doesn't have any bias against him. And we aren't keeping it a secret forever just for awhile."

Mary sighed. "What a mess. I'm proud of your dedication."

"Believe me… It's hard." Alex said looking at Meredith.

"Shut up. It's for your own good. Be grateful."

He rolled his eyes. "Thanks… I guess."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"How's your stomach feeling?" He asked crawling into bed. She didn't answer right away. "You okay?" He asked kissing her head.

"You know I'm doing this all for you right?" She said rolling on her side to look at him. "You know I'm doing all this stuff with work and the engagement for you right?"

"Yeah… Mer, what's wrong?" He asked looking concern.

"I don't want you to hate me."

"I would never hate you."

"You don't know what it's like going through college and medical school and all this in their shadows." She cried into his chest.

"Mer, what's wrong?" He said running his hand through her hair.

She sniffled. "I don't know. I just don't want you to regret anything."

He lifted her head so he could see her face. "Meredith, I could never regret anything. As long as we end up married, I'm happy."

She smiled sniffling. "Promise?"

He nodded kissing her lightly. "I love you, Mer."

"I love you too." She said kissing him again.


	43. Wears A Ring

_A week later…_

"Meredith, are you sure you should be going into work?" Mary asked in her overprotective 'mother-voice' for the millionth time.

"I've been off for a week. I'm fine."

"Will you call if you become not fine?"

She nodded as she sipped her coffee. "Yes."

"Alright." She sighed. "Where did Alex go?"

"Back upstairs."

"When do you leave?"

"Right now." She said standing up. She kissed Mary's cheek. "We'll see you later."

"Alright."

They walked into the living room as Alex came down stairs. Meredith handed him a cup of coffee. "Ready?" She asked.

He nodded. "Bye Mom."

"Have a good day." Mary called as they walked out.

"Does your stomach feel okay?" He asked as they walked to their cars.

"What is with you Kerevs and worrying about my stomach more than a week after surgery?" She asked opening the driver's side of her car.

He laughed. "Sorry."

She smiled as she walked down the driveway to him. "Thank you for your concern, but I'm fine."

"You're fine?"

"I am fine."

"You're always fine."

"That's because I have nothing to be not fine about." She said with a smile playing her lips as she kissed him lightly.

"Are you going straight to the hospital?" He asked kissing her again.

"No, I'm going to stop to see Mom."

"Okay." He kissed her one last time. "I'll see you later."

"Yeah." She smiled walking backwards towards her car. "Don't worry about me. I'm fine."

He smiled at her. "You're fine."

She climbed into her car. He watched as she flipped her hair back, so it was straight behind her back before climbing into his own car.

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"Mom?" She said touching her mother's arm. Ellis quickly jerked away continuing to fidget with her hands. "Mom?"

"Stop calling me that!" She yelled. "I am not your mother."

"It's me. Meredith."

Ellis laughed. "Please, Meredith is a child barely old enough to walk."

"Mom, it's me."

"Get out of my OR. I don't need any of that nonsense in here." She boomed.

"We aren't in the OR. Mom, please."

"I said leave."

"Okay, I'll be back tomorrow." She said standing up.

"Just my luck. I'll get the same incompetent scrub nurse tomorrow."

She kissed her mother's head. "Love you, Mom."

With that she walked away.

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"Hey, Meredith." Izzie said as she sat down next to Christina.

"Hey guys." She answered opening her salad.

"Meredith?" Izzie asked.

"Yeah?"

"You were talking to Alex earlier?"

"Uh, yeah."

She leaned forward on the table looking like she was going to say something but thought against it. "Um, how do you get him to talk to you?"

"What?" She asked confused about the question.

Christina started coughing to keep from laughing. Thankfully, it was just the three of them and Izzie was too caught up in the question to notice.

Kicking Christina's leg under the table, Meredith picked through her salad trying to think of a good enough answer. She shrugged. "We're friends."

"Oh… Do you know if he has a girlfriend?"

"You should talk to him." Meredith said.

"Cause who knows? Maybe he's like married." Christina said clearing her throat.

"Married? Alex? You think someone like that would be tied down to one girl?" Izzie asked.

Meredith had a weird sense that the whole conversation had happened before.

"Dr. Grey?" Derek's voice came. She turned to look at him.

"Yes, Dr. Shepherd?"

"May I speak to you?"

Meredith sighed and nodded before getting up. "Where to?"

"Right this way." He led her to an empty exam room.

"I'm confused, Dr. Shepherd. There's no patient here." She said turning towards him.

"Yes, Dr. Grey, I am aware of this." He sat down at the end of the bed while she stood near the door.

"Well… why did you need to see me?"

"Well, I was wondering if you would go out with me this weekend."

"I can't."

"Why not? Why are you so hell-bent on not going out with me?"

"Why are you so hell-bent on getting me to go out with you?"

"Because you're attractive and smart and caring and… I want to go out with you. Your turn… why can't you go out with me this weekend?"

"I'm going to a wedding."

"That's it? Then next weekend. I want to go out with you. An attractive, smart, caring lady."

"No I'm an attractive, smart, caring lady who wears a ring."

"What?"

"I wear a ring. I wear an engagement ring and in four days I'm also going to be wearing a wedding ring."

"W… Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because I shouldn't have to." She sighed. "One 'no' should have been enough, but it wasn't. Not to mention the fact that I have always worn a ring around my neck… Is that all you need?"

He nodded and she walked out.


	44. Shepherd Knows

"Shepherd knows." She whispered as she stood beside him.

"Knows what? That he needs to dial down the mousse." He said coldly.

"No, he knows I'm engaged."

He was shocked. "He knows about me and you?" He whispered after pulling her into the stairs.

"No… He knows I'm engaged. I didn't say to whom. But he was hitting on me and asking me to go out with him. And I've told him over and over that I don't want to go out with him. So I finally pointed out that I wear a ring and have the whole time I've been here. He wanted to go out this weekend and we're getting married this weekend and…" She let out a long breath as she finished her ramble.

"Mer, I'm happy he knows. I don't want him hitting on you." He said smiling at her. "Plus this is a step. A step towards being able to do this when ever I want." He pulled her into a deep kiss.

"I love you, Alex." She said as they pulled back.

"I love you too, Mer."

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"How could you not tell me?" Derek said falling in stride with Richard.

"Tell you what, Shepherd?" Richard said as he walked into his office without removing his eyes from the chart he was reading.

"About Meredith being engaged."

Richard lifted his eyes and looked at him. "I wasn't aware that you were pursuing her." He lifted his glasses off his nose as Derek sat down.

"Why is it such a secret?'

Meredith had mentioned that Derek had been asking her out, and she finally told him that she was engaged and was getting married in four days. But she told him that she did not tell him who she was engaged to.

"I don't see how it is relevant." He answered folding his hands together. "Last time I check her personal life isn't a public matter nor can I go around telling everyone her business."

"All I know is that when I was engaged I told everyone under the sun why wouldn't she?"

"It's none of you business. Now if you don't mind, I have work to do, so if you don't have anything professional to say to me…"

Derek stood up. "Alright Chief. I'll see you later I guess."

Richard watched as he left before leaning back in the chair. Letting out a long sigh, he rubbed his face. "Long day."

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"Hey." Meredith called from the couch as he walked in.

Smiling he walked over to the couch and kissed her. "Hey."

"Mama is in the kitchen making dinner."

"Putting my mom to work?" He joked putting his bag down.

She smiled. "Oh yes."

"I heard that." She said, coming out shaking her spoon. "I feel taken advantage of."

"Would you rather me cook?" Meredith asked.

"No I value my life." Alex answered.

"Oh that hurt." Meredith said trying to suppress her laughed. Mary laughed walking into the kitchen.

"I'm sorry." Alex laughed kissing her cheek as Meredith sat in shock. He started towards the kitchen with Meredith in tow. She kicked his butt lightly as they walked into the kitchen. She burst into giggles, as he wrapped his arms around him. Trying to escape his grasp, she jerked around the kitchen laughing uncontrollably as he picked her up tickling her and kissing her cheek.

"Stop." She gasped. "Please stop."

"Not until you apologize."

"No." She laughed harder as he tickled her more. "Alright, alright. I'm sorry."

Stopping he pulled her into his arms. "I love you." He said kissing her.

"I love you too."

"Aw!" Mary cried out. "I'm like having flashbacks to you guys playing in the backyard." She giggled to herself. "You were so cute. You guys always played and played." Meredith giggled stroking the side of Alex's face as she kissed his cheek. "And in four days, you guys are going to be married and be happy for the rest of your lives." Mary wiped her eyes and sighed. Meredith wrapped her arms around her future mother in law.

"I love you, Mama Kerev." She whispered.

"I love you guys too." Mary said pulling her son into the hug.


	45. Noticing

_The next day…_

"Hey." She smiled at Christina as she walked in.

"Hey. Three more days, ready?"

"Are you?" She said raising her eyebrow.

"Please, I have to stand there and smile. You're the one saying the vows." Christina laughed.

Meredith rolled her eyes. "I've known him for about 12 years. I think I'll be fine."

"Whatever. Come on, I don't want to be late. I need a good case." Christina said stretching her back out.

"I'm coming." She sighed shutting her locker.

"Have you even had sex with anyone other than him?" Christina asked as they walked down the hall.

"Yes." She said defensively.

"Were you like a whore or something?" She laughed.

"No." She rolled her eyes.

"Grey, Yang." Bailey said breezing past them. "Are you coming or do I have to move you down the hall myself?"

"Coming Dr. Bailey." They said at the same time.

"Then move it!"

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"Hey, Meredith." Izzie chirped as she came up beside her.

"Hey, Izz." She answered reading a chart.

Izzie gasped causing her head to fly up. "What? What's wrong?"

"Meredith!" She grabbed her hand. "Why didn't you tell us? Look at this ring."

Meredith looked down at her ring then reached up and touched the empty necklace. She silently cursed herself for forgetting to but it on her chain.

"Oh… ah…" She stammered.

"When did this happen?" Izzie said in shock.

"A while ago. Before we met." Meredith answered quickly.

"How come I've never noticed?"

"I usually keep it on my necklace, so I can scrub in and everything easier." She shrugged.

"Two questions… Who is the lucky man and when's the big day?"

"It's this weekend. I would invite you, but it's really only family. With the internship and everything, I didn't feel like a big wedding or anything. Yep, just me, him, Richard… and yeah, family type people." She rambled as she put the ring on her necklace.

"Oh… so who is he?" Izzie asked raising an eyebrow.

Meredith panicked until her pager sounded. Sighing with relief, she looked at Izzie apologetically before running off.

"Saved by the bell." She mumbled to herself.

"_We need to tell them. Soon… We need to tell them soon." _She thought to herself.

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"Hello?" She answered her phone.

"Mer?" Mary's voice came.

"Hey, Mama." She said holding her finger up at her friends. "What can I do for you?"

"Well, I got a call from the courtyard owner to make sure everything was in order."

"Yep, as far as I know."

"Great. We are all still on for dinner right?"

"Definitely. I'll talk to you later, Mama."

"Alright, bye, Meredith."

She hung up her phone and returned it to her pocket before going back to eating her salad.

"That was Ellis Grey and you didn't let us talk to her?" Izzie said with wide eyes.

"What?" Meredith said her eyes flying up to Izzie's. "No, that wasn't my mother."

"Oh… Who was it?" She asked.

"My, uh, I don't know how to explain it. I've known her since I was really young and she's like my second mom, so I call her Mama."

"Oh." Izzie nodded. "So, you never answered me."

"Huh?"

"About this mystery guy."

Christina straightened in her chair as she began listening to her conversation.

"Yeah, sorry I didn't mean to run away. Stupid pager, you know?"

Izzie giggled and nodded. "Always goes off at the worse possible times it seems. Like the other day, I was talking to Alex." Meredith's back stiffened a little, but she didn't seem to notice. "I was just about to ask him if he was seeing anyone and his pager goes off. Worst possible time."

Meredith let out a few nervous laughs. "I know what you mean." Her phone started to vibrate. She glanced at the ID to see it was a text message. "I have to take this."

She stood up pulling the phone to her ear. "Hello?" She paused pretending to be listening to someone. "Hold on. I'll see you guys later. This is… really important." She grabbed her tray and scurried away throwing it into the trash on her way out.

Letting out a sigh, she got into the empty elevator. She walked to the back and leaned against the wall opening the text message on the phone. It was from Alex.

"_Izzie mentioned you were engaged. Do I know the guy?"_

She smiled to herself waiting for the doors to close.

"Hold the elevator." She heard someone yell. Extending her hand, she stopped the elevator from shutting. "Thanks." He sighed out with out looking up.

"You're welcome, Dr. Shepherd." She answered calmly as she opened her phone to return the message.

"Oh, Dr. Grey." He said slightly cold, but she didn't pay much attention to it as she typed her response.

"_I don't know." _She sent back shutting her phone only to realize that Derek had been talking the whole time. "Sorry, what? I was distracted."

Derek sighed pulling the stop button and turned towards her. "I say, how could you not tell me that you were engaged?"

"I told you, Dr. Shepherd. I should have had to."

"So you let me pursue you this whole time without a word! Why is this such a secret to the whole damn hospital?" He yelled.

"It's my damn business. NOT THEIRS!" She yelled back. "Neither is it yours."

"You couldn't have at least hinted it off."

"Hello, I wear a freaking ring. How is that not a hint?"

"You don't wear a ring. You wear a necklace."

"Oh yes, because all engaged women must keep their rings super glued to their finger. I'm a SURGEON. I deal with blood and shit all day. I'm not going to put my engagement ring down in some guy's ass." She growled pressing the stop button back in. "Now, just drop it and keep your nose out of my business."

The door dinged open, and she marched out without looking back.


	46. Going To Get Married

She had the last two days before the wedding off and Alex had the day before off. They finalized everything that needed to be finalized at the last minute.

The door opened, but she didn't turn away from the mirror. She couldn't believe it was finally there. After years and years of dreaming about it, it was finally there.

"You look really good, Mer." Christina said coming up behind her. Meredith ran her hand over the sequence on her stomach.

"Thanks." She said looking at her maid of honor. "The dress looks really good on you."

Christina looked down at the dark, satin purple dress that went down to the floor.

"Thanks." Meredith took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "You aren't having second thoughts are you?"

Meredith instantly shook her head. "No. I want to marry Alex more than anything. It's just hard to believe it's really here. We really made it."

"Did you doubt that you would make it?"

"No… I love Alex."

Christina sat down. "I know. I'm the maid of honor. I have to know."

"You're my person."

"You're person." Christina nodded letting out a sigh.

"You're the only one who knows about me and Alex. You're my maid of honor. You're my… person."

Christina stood up. "I'm going to go find Evil Spawn and see what he's doing."

Meredith nodded as she walked out. Turning back to the mirror, she smiled at herself picking up the puffy skirt and letting it fall.

"Oh, Mer. You look so beautiful." Mary cried as she walked in.

"Thank you, Mama Kerev." Meredith said hugging her.

Mary wiped a few tears from her own eyes and looked at Meredith. "Can you believe it? My baby is getting married to the best girl in the world."

"Do I know her?" Meredith giggled as did Mary. Mary started fixing her veil then just stopped and looked at her. Her hair was down in loose curls. Her veil had little pearls and diamond gemstones sewn in. The dress was floor length and had a puffy skirt, but it wasn't too puffy. The stomach and chest had sequencing on it and clung to her curves perfectly.

"I think I'm going to cry." Mary said quietly before clearing her through. "Are you nervous?"

"About marrying Alex? No. About walking up there and doing it in front of everyone. A little." She admitted.

"You have nothing to worry about. Just focus on Alex and everything will come naturally."

Meredith smiled hugging her. "Thank you, Mama Kerev."

"Meredith?" Christina's voice came. She looked up. "Ready?"

Meredith looked at Mary then back at Christina and nodded smiling brightly.

"Do I look good?" Meredith asked.

"Great, Dear." Mary answered.

"Hot." Christina said causing Meredith to giggle.

She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Okay, I'm ready."

"Let's go." Mary said looping her arm with Meredith's.

"I'm ready." Meredith smiled.

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"Meredith." Richard said with watery eyes as she came down the hall.

"Hey." She said her eyes glistening with tears.

"You look so beautiful, Mer."

"Thank you." She kissed his cheek and took a deep breath as Christina walked in. "Let's do this."

"Let's do this." He smiled looking his arm with hers. They could hear the music play from inside the walls of the courthouse and started walking down the short hall. They got to the door and all the guest were standing waiting for the bride to make her appearance. Her eyes traveled across the courtyard before meeting with Alex. He stood at the end of aisle wearing a tux the suited him perfectly. He smiled at her and she smiled back as tears threatened to spill.

"I love you, Mer." Richard's voice pulled her from her trance only to realize that they were nearing the end of the aisle. She broke contact with Alex's eyes to look at Richard.

"I love you too."

He smiled as they stopped at the end of the aisle.

"I'm proud of you, Mer." He said kissing her cheek.

"Thank you." She kissed his cheek.

She turned and looked at Alex smiling lightly.

"You look beautiful, Mer." He said softly.

"Not too bad yourself." She whispered. He smiled taking her hand.

"We are gathered here today…"


	47. Finally Married

Meredith wrapped her arms around her new husband's neck. He smiled at her.

"Dr. Meredith Kerev." She smiled and kissed him. "I like it."

"Me too."

"I present to you, Dr. and Dr. Alexander Kerev."

The guests stood and started to clap as the couple turned and faced them. Mary wiped the tears from her eyes as they headed down the aisle.

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They decided to have the reception out in their backyard. Mary made sure there was nothing missing. She made sure they weren't left out of anything. Tables were set up under a tent with flowers on every table. There was a dance floor and a band set up. A bar was set up under the tent with the tables. The sun was setting and there were barely any clouds in the sky. It was the perfect night in Seattle.

"I can't believe it." Meredith said with a big smile as they climbed out of the car.

"Me neither." Alex said kissing her lips lightly. She wrapped her arms around his neck kissing him deeper.

"I love you." She said.

"I love you too. Now, let's do this right."

"The wedding isn't over." She giggled.

"But this is the first time we came home as a married couple. So that means." He lifted her up into his arms. She squealed wrapping her arms around his neck. He kissed her deeply as he walked up the porch steps. "I love you, Meredith Kerev."

"I love you too." She smiled as he struggled to hold her up and unlock the door. Eventually, somehow he got it and pushed the door open.

"Welcome home, Dr. Kerev."

"I love the sound of that." She giggled kissing him again.

"So do I." He said letting her down. "Are you sure we can't go right upstairs?"

"It's our wedding day and like fifty people will be here for the reception."

"Okay, but tonight… all bets are off." He smiled at her kissing her passionately.

"I can't wait." She laughed kissing her.

A car pulled up. Richard was driving and Mary was in the passenger seat. Other cars weren't far behind.

"Hey." Meredith called from the door as they got out.

Mary hurried ahead of Richard. "Meredith Kerev. Meredith Kerev. Meredith Kerev. You are officially my daughter."

Meredith giggled. "I love you, Mama Kerev." She kissed her cheek.

"I love you too." Mary said.

"Thank you so much, Mama… For everything." Meredith whispered.

"Hey. What am I? The forgotten child?" Alex asked.

Mary wrapped her arms around her son. "I love you, Alex. My baby boy is married to the best girl in the world. What more can I ask for?"

"Even when you're praising me, you find a way to praise her." Alex laughed.

"It's because I'm the best." Meredith said sticking her tongue out. Richard walked up taking her into his embrace. "I love you." She whispered kissing his cheek.

"I love you too. You're mother would be so proud of you."

Meredith smiled. "I hope she would be." Tears glistened in her eyes but she refused to let them fall. "I'm so happy she married you."

He smiled tears rushing to his eyes as he took her into his embrace again. "I'm so glad she did too. I am so proud of you today, Mer. I just want you to be happy."

"I am. I really am." She whispered as tears rolled off her cheeks.

He pulled back and smiled. "Look at me. I'm making the bride cry."

She giggled. "It's okay." She kissed his cheek before wiping her cheeks.

Richard looked at Alex and smiled with a proud smile. They shared a quick 'manly' hug. "Welcome to the family."

"Thank you. It feels good to be here."

"It's good to have you here."

Meredith looked at Christina who was coming into the house. "Hey." She smiled wiping all the tears from her cheeks.

"Hey." She smiled. "So do we hug or…"

"We don't have to."

Christina nodded before giving Meredith a short hug. "Congratulations, Mer. That's the only hug you'll ever get from me."

Meredith giggled. "Thank you… and thank you for being my maid of honor."

"What are persons for?"

Meredith giggled. "Yeah, that's what persons are for."

Christina looked at Alex. "I'm not hugging you, Evil Spawn."

Alex laughed along with everyone else. "Did I ask to be hugged, Yang? I rather not die on my wedding day."

Christina rolled her eyes hitting the back of his head. "I love you too, Evil Spawn." She said sarcastically. "Now where's the bar?" She asked walking away. Meredith laughed and went back to greeting her guests.


	48. The Day After

She smiled at him as he led her by the hand out to the middle of the group gathered to watch the couple's first dance. Not removing their eyes from each other, they wrapped their arms around each other.

"We're really married." She smiled.

"I love you, Dr. Kerev."

"I love you too, Dr. Kerev."

He leaned down and kissed her lightly.

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She waved as Mary drove away. A smile stretched across her face as she shut the door. Turning on the balls of her feet, she looked at her husband. A similar grin stretched across his face as he dropped all the trash that was in his hand to the floor. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she pulled him in for a passionate kiss. Wrapping her legs around him, she ran her fingers through his hair as he carried her up the stairs to the bedroom.

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The sun poured into the room through the cracks of the curtains. The warmth of his body wrapped around her body. A smile played her lips as her eyes opened to the dreamland that was her life. Rolling over to face him, she watched him sleep. His chest falling and rising rhythmically. His face was so peaceful laid against the white cloth of the pillow. After a few seconds, he stirred slightly and opened his eyes.

"Good Morning." He mumbled pulling her closer to him.

"Good Morning." She answered laying her head on his bare chest as he stroked her back lightly with his eyes still shut. "I believe that we both had today off."

"Is that so?"

"Yeah. What will we do with all that time?"

"I can think of a few things." He said smirking suggestively. Giggling, she rolled on top of him.

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Four hours, four rounds of sex, and two showers later, they finally emerged from the bedroom.

"Mer?" Alex called from the kitchen. He walked out and stood in the doorway.

She looked up from sitting cross-legged in the sea of different colored wrapping paper and gifts.

"What are you doing?" He chuckled as she picked up a gift and gave it a light shake close to her are.

"Sh, I'm listening."

He laughed walking over crouching down in front of her. "You know, they're ours. We can open them."

She smiled. "I know."

He leaned forward and kissed her passionately. "After we eat we can open them."

Standing up, he held out his hand which she gratefully took.

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The doorbell rang. Alex groaned causing Meredith to giggle as his head fell.

"Can't we ignore it?" He whispered kissing her neck.

"No."

He sighed. "It's probably another delivery guy." He sighed rolling off of her as the doorbell rang again. Standing up, he pulled on his boxers and a pair of sweatpants. "I'll go get it." He leaned over and kissed her passionately. "Then we can get back to what we were doing."

She smiled as he walked to the door. "Hurry back." She giggled.

He hurried down the steps jumping off the last couple to the door and threw the door open.

"Izzie? What are you doing here?"


	49. Stuck

"Alex?" Izzie said confused. "What are you doing here?" She looked around the outside of the house before looking back at him. Her eyes traveled the house behind him. "Isn't this Meredith's house?"

"Uh…"

"Alex? What the hell is taking so long?" Meredith called from the top of the steps. He looked up then back at Izzie. "What? What's wrong?"

"What's going on here?" Izzie asked crossing her arms.

"Izzie? What are you doing here?" Meredith asked coming up beside her husband.

"I wanted to come congratulate you. You got married yesterday, right?" She asked.

"Yeah, yeah I did." She answered.

"What is Alex doing here?" Izzie asked.

"I was just…" Alex started.

Now was the time. No more secrets. She wanted everyone to know that she was a Kerev.

"Izzie." Meredith sighed cutting her off. "This is my husband. Alex is my husband."

She watched Izzie's eyes grow wide with shock. Her eyes pinked over with embarrassment. Then a look of hurt and anger flashed through her eyes.

"What!?" She yelled. "How could you not tell me? You've been engaged this whole time and you didn't bother to freaking tell me! I though we were friends. I cannot believe you. After everything…" She stopped herself and she came to a realization of what she had been doing their whole internship. "I told you things. You _let_ me tell you things. What was this? Some sick joke to you? I told you how I felt about him and what? What the hell was that to you? I trusted you. I confided in you. I asked you if you knew he was taken and the whole freaking time he was yours." Her angry rant was obviously directed to Meredith, so Alex stood awkwardly beside his wife.

"Izzie, I'm sorry. But you have to know that I didn't keep if from you for personal reasons."

"Just save it, Meredith." Izzie spat before turning and storming off.

Looking up at Alex, she sighed and walked back into the kitchen. Shutting the door, he followed her to find her pulling a bottle of wine of the cupboard.

He watched to see if she was upset about the encounter at the door.

"We are not going to let this ruin our pre-honeymoon honeymoon." Meredith said positively. Popping the cork, she pulled two glasses out of the cupboard. He smiled as she poured the wine and handed him a glass. "Now where were we?"

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

_One day later…_

Their pre-honeymoon honeymoon was over. Their honeymoon wasn't scheduled for nearly a month and a half when things with the internship settled down enough for them to escape for two weeks.

Dragging herself down the stairs, she could smell the coffee brewing. After their shower together, he went downstairs to get coffee going while she got ready.

"Hey." She yawned, heading over to the coffee pot. He smiled.

"Tired?" He asked wrapping his arms around her waist.

"How can I not be? I blame you."

"Me?" He said, spinning her around. "I don't think you were complaining last night."

She giggled wrapping her arms around his neck. "I love you."

He kissed her. "I love you too, Mer."

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It was so weird to be going to the hospital together in the same car. But it felt so right. Shutting the car door, she laughed at something Alex had said.

"Ugh, it's so early." She groaned looking up at the dusky sky.

He chuckled. "You're just not used to anything outside the bedroom."

She giggled rolling her eyes. "Down boy." She glanced at her watch. "Come on. We better hurry."

He nodded as they crossed into the lobby to the elevator. People watched them whispering a few things to each other before walking away with their eyes still on the couple. Alex looked down at the gold band around his ring finger that looked so perfect that it seemed to have been there forever. Smiling, he looked over at the set of rings Meredith wore.

"They're talking about us." Meredith whispered as Alex hit the elevator button.

"Who cares?" He shrugged as the doors slid open.

She smiled at him, but faded when she noticed Izzie and George glaring at them. Standing in the front of the elevator, they watched as the elevator doors started to shut again. A hand flung into the crack causing the alarm to go off and the doors opened again. Christina got on.

"Hey." She mumbled to them all.

"Hey." Meredith and Alex answered, but George and Izzie said nothing.

Awkward silence hung over the five friends as the numbers ticked by. Meredith watched as two changed to three then changed back to two. The light flickered and a loud clanking noise echoed down the elevator shaft. A tremble shook the small metal box that the five doctors stood in. With one last flicker, the lights shut off.

"Seriously!" Christina, Meredith, and Izzie yelled at once.

"This can not be happening. I have surgery in twenty minutes." Christina groaned kicking the wall.


	50. Can't Be

"Just freaking beautiful." Meredith groaned slamming the phone down.

"What?" Alex asked, sitting against the wall.

"All the elevators on the east end are down. We're stuck in the middle of two and three, so they can't get the door open at all. It could be an hour before we get out of here." She explained pacing the elevator. Alex grabbed her and pulled her down to his lap.

"Great." Izzie moaned.

"It's not like you are missing surgery." Christina said bitterly.

"But we're stuck in here with little happy couple over there." Izzie snapped.

"Jeez, you're still dwelling over that." Christina said sliding down the wall next to Meredith who had climbed out of Alex's lap feeling the tension in the air. "I mean sure, it's shocking that someone like Mer would ever go for a guy like evil spawn."

"Hey!" Alex said defensively.

Rolling her eyes, she looked at her watch. "I would be scrubbing in right now."

"Christina!" Izzie yelled. "Enough about your damn surgery."

"Izz, calm down." George said quietly.

"Oh, boo-hoo, Barbie didn't know that Evil Spawn was getting married. Worse things can happen. Cancer. Death. Missing my damn surgery. Cry me a damn river." Christina spat.

"That's enough!" Meredith yelled. Rolling her eyes, Izzie looked away. "Now, we're stuck here for awhile. Can we just get along for that long?"

Nobody responded and silence fell over them for about ten minutes. Meredith laid her head down on her husband's shoulder intertwining her hands with his that rested in his lap. He looked over at her and smiled lightly.

Izzie sighed harshly.

"What is your problem?" Christina asked annoyed.

"Where the hell have you been? Meredith and Alex are married." Izzie growled.

"You know, we're sitting right here. We can hear everything you say." Alex pointed out.

Silence fell over them for another

"I mean, seriously, Meredith, I told you things." Her voice low and harsh. "I told you I had feelings for your fiancé.

"Yes, Izzie." Meredith said having had enough of her whining. "I was engaged to Alex. I'm married to Alex. I didn't tell you. I didn't tell anyone other than Christina and she didn't find out until like three weeks ago. It wasn't the business of this hospital. And I'm sorry that you got hurt, but I'm not letting you ruin anything. I'm not letting you ruin this for us."

Izzie stayed silent as Alex wrapped her arm around his wife. Everyone sat in silence for five minutes when the elevator jolted. Meredith fell over into Alex's lap. The lights flickered rapidly as he wrapped his arms around her protectively. The elevator started to shake and loud clanking of metal bars rang through the air. A loud motor started up and stopped before starting again. The lights turned on and the elevator started to move up.

"Freedom!" George cried out climbing to her feet.

The others followed his example in silence, but Meredith stayed on the ground.

"Mer? You okay?" Alex asked with a concerned voice as he crouched down in front of his wife.

She jumped to her feet as the door opened slowly revealing Richard waiting on the other side. Just as he opened his mouth to say something to her, her stomach flipped again. Richard's mouth shut as he looked down at the vomit that covered his shoes. His eyes slowly returned to his stepdaughter. Everyone behind him stood in shock as Meredith wiped her mouth.

Alex stroked her back. "Are you okay?" He asked quietly.

Nodding, she felt another wave of nausea come over her. Without even looking at anyone, she hurried off the elevator to the nearest restroom. Alex and Richard looked at each other before Alex hurried after her.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Are you okay?" Alex asked as soon as the door opened.

Nodding slowly, she walked holding her stomach towards the nurses' station. Leaning over the counter, she let her head rest on her arms. Alex stood beside her rubbing her back.

"What's wrong, Babe?" He asked softly.

"I don't know." She answered speaking into her forearm.

"Mer?" Richard said walking up. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine. I'll be fine. Sorry about the shoes."

"Don't worry about it. I want you to get checked out."

"Richard, stop being a doctor."

"Mer, you should be checked out."

"Surrounded by doctors." She cried out. "I'm fine. Thank you for your concerns. But. I. Am. Fine." She annunciated each word. Her voice was still faint, tired, and sickly.

"Mer, exam room, now. Yang will be right in." Richard said sternly. She looked at Alex for help who was running his hand through her hair.

"I agree with him." He said giving him an apologetic smile.

She sighed. "Fine. I'll go. You're lucky that I love you or I wouldn't."

Alex smiled and kissed her cheek. "I love you too."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah." She mumbled walking away.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

She was lying on the bed when Christina walked in.

"You don't have to do this you know. We could just say we did it."

"Yeah, so when Webber finds out that I didn't check on you, I'll be fired?"

Meredith rolled her eyes. "I'm fine. I probably picked up the flu or something. I do work in a hospital you know."

Glaring at her, she grabbed a needle. "So, what? Are you pregnant? I mean it can't be the appendix again."

She didn't answer as Christina drew some blood. _"I couldn't be." _She thought. _"Could I?" _


	51. Should I Be Worried?

She sat up hold her finger over the place where Christina had stuck her.

"Do you think I could be pregnant?" She asked Christina.

"Why do you ask me? I don't monitor you periods or your bedroom."

"Crap." She sighed rubbing her forehead.

"Would it be a bad thing if you were pregnant?"

"No… I mean we just got married and I can't be a mother. My mother wasn't exactly mother of the year material. How do you think my kid would turn out?"

"We should wait for the blood test before we worry about buying baby clothes."

"Christina, you can't say something like 'you might be pregnant' and not expect me to freak out for at least three minutes."

Christina rolled her eyes. "Can't you wait until I leave? I seriously don't need another freak out after Barbie's little freak out in the elevator."

She glared at her person. "Just go."

Smirking at her friend, she grabbed the blood. "So I'll take these down to the lab and page you when I get them back."

"Thanks." She sighed.

"See you later."

"Bye." Standing up, she looked around for a second before hurrying out.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"How'd it go?" Alex asked kissing her cheek.

"How'd what go?" She asked reading a chart.

"You're exam. Is everything okay?"

She sighed debating on what to say. Forcing a slight smile, she nodded. "Just waiting on some labs." She shut the chart and pulled it to her chest giving him smile. "But I'm fine. It's nothing to worry about." He smiled as she kissed him. "See you later."

"Yeah." He sighed as she hurried away to her work.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It wasn't until lunch that she saw Alex or Christina again. He kissed her cheek as she sat down next to him.

"God, couldn't you have kept it a secret longer? You're all 'I love you' and kissing and god, it's disgusting."

Alex gave her a smug smirk as he sipped his water.

Rolling her eyes, she looked back at Christina and pointed at her with her fork. "You, shut up. So, um, get my results back?"

"What? I though you said there was nothing to worry."

"There isn't…" Meredith stammered.

"You didn't tell him?" Christina asked.

Alex looked at Christina as Meredith shook her head glaring at her.

"Did tell me what?" Alex asked looking at Meredith with concern in his eyes.

"That she might…"

"Have the flu." Meredith cut her off and let out a nervous laugh. "But it's not flu season." She shrugged. "It must be nothing."

"Are you sure?" Alex asked giving her a suspicious look.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I passes I haven't felt sick in a while."

"Since this morning." Christina commented with a smirk.

Meredith glared at her before looking at Alex. "How was surgery?"

"Good." He answered as a pager went off. They all glanced down.

"Mine." Meredith sighed. "See you guys later." She kissed Alex's cheek before standing up.

"Bye." Alex smiled as she hurried off.

"I shall call you McLoverBoy." Christina said with a satisfied smile.

He rolled his eyes. "See you around, Yang."

_**------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**_

_**Yeah, it's a short chapter, but next chapter you'll found out. Is Mer pregnant or not????**_


	52. Results

Her pager jerked her from her thoughts. Letting out a groan, she looked down at her pager. Christina's name flashed across the screen and her heart skipped a beat. Quickly, she shut all the charts she was studying, stacked them up, and hurried away.

The elevator opened, and she walked to the nurses' station.

"Hi. Um, here are the charts on 4323, 4283, 4292, and, um, 4129."

The nurse nodded and took them.

"Hey, Mer." Alex said kissing her cheek.

"Hey. Um, I can't talk right now."

"Something wrong?" He asked.

"No, I just need to get some results for a… patient."

"Alright. See you later."

"Yeah." She flashed a quick smile to prove that she was okay before hurrying away to the room Christina told her to come to. Taking a deep breath, she pushed the door open.

"Oh shit. Sorry." Her cheeks blushed at the old man full and exposed to the world. "Wrong room."

She shut the door silently cursing herself for inverting the numbers. Turning, she walked to the correct room and knocked.

Christina opened the door. "Why the hell did you knock?"

"I should really knock more often." She shook the thoughts from her head.

"What? Never mind. I really don't want to know."

"So you got my results?"

"Yep." She handed her the folder.

"Did you look at them?"

"Duh." Christina rolled her eyes sitting down at the counter in the chair. "Are you going to look at them?"

Meredith took a deep breath. "Maybe."

"Get it over with."

"Maybe I should wait." She contemplated.

"You're…"

"Don't tell me!"

"What the hell? I took the time to draw your blood then you go and yell at me."

"Sorry." She sighed.

"I guess I can't blame you."

"Why?"

"Cause damn pregnancy hormones are a bitch. I can't blame you for that."

"Christina! I told you not to tell me!"

"It will all kick in soon." She continued to read the chart. "Five… Four…"

"I'm… I'm pregnant." Meredith said in a shocked tone.

"Never fails." Christina sighed. "Yes, you are pregnant."

"I'm going to be a… mother."

"Well, I hope you wouldn't assume the roll of father. That would be a little awkward."

"Would you please stop that? I just found out that I'm pregnant and you're making sarcastic jokes!"

She sighed and looked at her. "Well is this a good thing?"

"Y… Yes. It's a good thing." She stuttered. "I think."

"Then I can crack jokes."

She glared at her. "Thanks for your help."

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"Get your results back?" He asked

"Ah…" She turned, panicking slightly. "Nope, not yet."

"Lab backed up?"

"Yeah, I guess." She shrugged. "I got to go. I have surgery."

"Alright."

She turned and walked away silently cursing herself. She hadn't ever, in her near memory, lied to Alex.

"What am I going to do now?" She asked herself.


	53. Author's Note

Okay. I don't normally take a make a whole chapter for something like this. But I'm somewhat desperate (as much as you can be about a thing like this). I'm considering making a rewrite for this story (not a sequel). But I can't decide if I want to change the couple to a MerMark or keep it as a MerAlex. I'm really struggling with this decision. So I would love to hear your opinion, if you don't mind putting in your two cents.

I'm going to do it majority rule. I would still write this story!!!!!!

Thanks,

Katie


	54. Spread The Word

She knocked rapidly on the door shaking her hands as if it would shake away the nervousness that she was feeling.

"Come in." His voice came from the other side of the door. Taking a deep breath, she opened the door.

He looked over his glasses at who had come into the room. "Meredith?" He smiled taking off his glasses.

"Hey."

"What's wrong? Are you okay?"

"Well, I got my results back from the blood test…" She answered pacing the room.

"Oh god. Is everything okay?"

She looked at him and tried to hide her smile which she did pretty well for a few minutes. When she didn't say anything, he grew apprehensive.

"Well, what's the problem?"

"Calm down, Dad. I don't want you to be like this for the next nine months."

"Nine months?" He repeated. "Why nine… Oh my god!"

She broke into a full smile. "I'm pregnant, Dad."

"You're pregnant? Like with a baby?"

She giggled. "What do you think? Will I look good huge, Grandpa?" She asked as he hugged her.

"You'll look beautiful… And Grandpa? I like the sound of that."

She giggled hugging him tighter. "I knew you would… But don't tell Alex. I haven't told him yet."

There was a knock at the door.

"Who is it?" Richard called not wanting to be disturbed by unnecessary when he just found out that he was going to be a grandfather.

"Alex. I have the test results."

Meredith stepped away from her father wiping the tears that had produced in her eyes. After receiving a small nod from Meredith, he walked to the door and allowed Alex to come in.

He handed his father-in-law the chart before his eyes caught his wife's.

"Hey." She smiled kissing him as he walked over to her and wrapped his arm around her waist.

"Hey." He looked at her with a slightly concerned look. "Are you okay?"

She nodded sending a quick glance to Richard.

"Why do I feel like the only one in the room out of the loop?" Alex asked looking at them suspiciously.

Meredith shrugged. "Just having some father-daughter time."

He decided to drop the subject. "Did you get your results back?" He asked while Richard read over the chart.

"Uh… yeah." She answered slowly as Richard looked up curiously at her.

"What did they say? Is everything okay?"

"You know what? This isn't really the place to discuss it. We'll talk about it at home."

"Mer?" He asked searching her eyes for something.

She knew that after all the time they had spent together; Alex would be able to pick up on something as big of a deal as this. She diverted her eyes in hopes that he wouldn't ask anymore questions while they were at work.

"Meredith? What's wrong?" He asked with a voice full of concern. "Is there something the matter? Are you sick or… did the blood test show something?" He rambled which was probably result of him growing up with her.

"It's nothing like that. But we'll talk about it later."

"Then just tell me."

"I'm pregnant." She blurted out.

Alex stood frozen where he stood. His eyes still staring blankly at Meredith's face while she searched desperately for a sign of what he was feeling in his eyes. Richard had long since forgotten about the chart and watched the scene between his stepdaughter and son-in-law unfold.

"You're pregnant…" He said after a few minutes.

"No we're pregnant, Alex." She answered softly.

"We're having a baby?" He asked with more excitement as a smile broke out of his face.

"We're having a baby." She smiled as he picked up and spun her around. Their lips crashed together and didn't break apart for what seemed like to Richard forever. He looked back down at the chart letting the couple have their moment. "I love you Alex." She said breaking her lips away from his.

"I love you too."

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She dropped her things onto the floor as she hurried into the house. Alex wasn't far behind her.

"Mama? Are you here, Mama?" She called.

Mary appeared in the doorway of the kitchen. "What's wrong?" She asked instantly concerned.

Meredith didn't answer as she led her to the couch when Alex had already taken a seat. Mary watched her face with a worried expression. "Sit down, Mama."

"Meredith, dear, you are scaring me. What's going on?"

Meredith took a deep breath and let it out slowly as she tried to hide the smile about to be produced on her face. "We have something to tell you." She said evening out her slightly shake voice.

Mary looked between her son and daughter-in law. "Well, spit it out!"

Meredith bit her lip slightly giving one quick glance to Alex who nodded before smiling. "You're going to be a grandma!"

Mary screamed jumping up in excitement. "A baby! You're pregnant?"

"We're having a baby!" Meredith said as Mary hugged her tightly. "Oh my god, Meredith."

"Hey, what about me? I helped." Alex objected.

"You had the easy part, son." Mary said giggling with Meredith.


	55. Morning Sickness

_The next day…_

They left early that morning to take Mary, who was reluctant to leave after receiving the news from the night before, to the airport. They promised to fly her back to Seattle in a couple of months for couple of weeks. After she was safely though the terminal, they headed to work where they were bound to meet the rumor mill in full effect over the noise of their marriage. But they didn't mind. They hadn't yet broached the subject with Izzie or George. Meredith had said that Christina was complaining about them whining and making a huge deal over the fact that they were married.

"_It's not like either of you lead them on. Their just bitching about it cause now they know that you and Evil Spawn have a better sex life than either of them." _Christina's words echoed through her head causing her to smile as she walked into the hospital beside Alex.

"What are you smiling at?" He asked.

She shook her head. "Nothing… Today is going to be awkward."

"Screw them. I doesn't matter what they think."

She smiled. "Still…"

"Don't worry… You've got me." He said pulling her closer.

She laughed. "I'm glad I do." They crossed into the hospital and headed towards the elevator. "Hopefully it doesn't get stuck again."

"Speak for yourself… Being stuck in a small room with my very sexy wife… doesn't sound that bad to me." He whispered in her ear.

"Isn't this very cozy?" A voice came.

They turned to see Derek and Mark. Mark looking indifferent to the situation, but Derek looked angry.

"Dr. Shepherd, Dr. Sloan." Alex said nodding to each of them before turning back to the closed elevator door.

"Kerev… s." Mark said. "Congratulations on the marriage, by the way."

Whether he would admit it or not he liked Meredith and wanted to get to know her. She was the only woman in the hospital that he wanted to know without getting her into bed.

"Is it Kerev now? It's not like your open about things like this." Derek mumbled bitterly.

Meredith rolled her eyes. "It's Kerev."

The elevator dinged and doors opened. The four doctors got on. Silence hung over the elevator until they hit the next floor. The doors opened and Izzie appeared already in scrubs since she had been on-call. She looked at the Alex and Meredith and rolled her eyes. Meredith glanced at Alex and rolled her eyes. Izzie stood in the corner and hit the button for the floor she wanted without removing her eyes from Meredith and Alex.

"What?!" Meredith said loudly causing everyone to jump once she noticed Izzie's gaze.

"Nothing." Izzie shot back.

"You know what? We don't have to be friends anymore, Izzie. But could we at least be civil?" Meredith sighed.

"You don't even get it do you? You betrayed me!" Izzie said back pulling the stop button.

"Yes, I betrayed you. And for that I am sorry, but I am not letting you ruining my happiness." Alex, Mark, and Derek watched as the two woman fought. "I'm sorry, Izzie. But I had my reason why I didn't make our engagement know. Reasons that you or everyone here wouldn't understand."

A wave of nausea came over her causing her to step back into her husband's chest.

"You okay?" He said quietly.

She nodded trying to force the feeling down. Her legs started to go weak as the alarm on the elevator started to go off.

"Mer?" Alex said. "What's wrong?"

"I'm just… dizzy." She mumbled as she felt the elevator jolt back into motion causing her to fall back. Mark caught her and Alex help him put her on the ground.

"Mer?" Alex said frantically.

"I'm fine." She mumbled closing her eyes. "Just morning sickness."

"Now she's pregnant too!" Derek said.

Mark glared up at him before looking down at Meredith. "Did you eat this morning?"

"I didn't have time."

The doors opened to reveal Richard among the people waiting for the elevator.

"Oh my god. Mer?" He said hurrying to his daughter's side. Everyone watched curiously.

"Get me a gurney." Richard called.

"No, I'm fine." Meredith said sitting up. Another wave of nausea hit her. "I think I'm going to throw up." She mumbled. Alex picked her up.

"I've got her." He nodded at his stepfather before pushing through the crowd.

"Alex, I'm fine. It's just morning sickness." She said more strongly this time.

"Calm down, Mer." He said walking into an exam room. "I just want you and the baby to be okay."

"We are. I'm just still getting used to all of this."

He laid her on the bed and looked down into her eyes. "Okay. I just want to be sure."

She nodded and allowed him do what he wanted to make him feel better. It was going to be a long nine months.


	56. Finally Standing Up For Herself

_The next day…_

"Good morning, Dr. Grey." The receptionist smiled politely at her as she walked in.

"Good morning, Edna. How is she doing today?"

"It's a good day."

"Good. Is she back there?"

"Yes. You can go ahead back if you'd like."

"Thank you." She gave Edna a smile before heading back. She quickly spotted her mother sitting in one of the chairs in front of the window. The "family" room was a cozy room with a fireplace, multiple little seating areas, and an old fashion décor. The home tried to give each family a little spot to at least give the feeling of privacy when family members came for a visit.

Cautiously, she headed towards her mother who was staring blankly out the window. When she touched her shoulder, she jumped and looked up confused at Meredith.

"Good morning, Mom."

"Have you seen my husband?" She asked completely unaware to who she was talking to. "My good-for-nothing husband?" Her voice was full of distain.

"Mom…"

"He's supposed to be watching Meredith, but he can hardly handle that." It was like she didn't even hear her daughter, and she just continued to talk as if she was talking to herself. "He begs me. Not just asks, but begs me not to put an end to his stupid, worthless dream to be a father. Then he can't even handle it. What an idiot… A good-for-nothing idiot… And my daughter… she actually had the audacity to tell me that she wanted to be a doctor. Like someone like her knows anything about discipline and about what the hell it takes to be a committed doctor. Like she could ever make it."

Meredith stared at her mother as she ranted. She tried to keep the tears from welling in her eyes.

"I was four. How would I have been able to prove that I was anything of those things?" She mumbled harshly, but as always her mother didn't hear her. "I have to go. I'll see you later, Mom." Giving her mother a quick kiss on the head, she hurried away before she said or did anything she would regret.

* * *

She glanced away from the chart when she felt someone come up behind her and saw her husband standing beside her.

"Hey." She gave him a small smile.

"Hey." He smiled back giving her a quick kiss.

"How's your mom?" He asked quietly.

"Same as always." She said dryly.

"Sorry, Babe." He knew 'the same' wasn't good.

"You know… It doesn't even get to me anymore. She's not proud of me. Fine. She's ashamed of me. Whatever."

"Meredith…"

"The thing that really gets to me is, she spent her life judging me and she never even spent enough time with me to even know me. Like… She's met you… twice maybe three times, and you've been in my life forever."

He wrapped his arms around her bringing her closer to his chest. "Mer, I know it seems hard now, but they might find a cure one day."

"I keep trying to convince myself of that." She mumbled.

He kissed her cheek. "Just don't let it get to you."

"Isn't this nice?" A voice came.

They both looked over to see Izzie. Derek was also watching not far away. Meredith rolled her eyes. They always seemed to interrupt their couple moments.

"You know this is a hospital." Izzie said bitterly.

"What is you guys' problem?" Meredith shot back turning towards her.

"You didn't tell me that you were engaged… You didn't tell anyone." Derek said.

"You let me talk about your fiancé. I asked you if he was seeing anyone and you said you didn't know. The whole time he was seeing you." Izzie said coldly.

"You don't get to judge me." Meredith snapped finally having enough of their childish behavior. "None of you get to judge me. You don't get to say that I didn't tell you I was engaged when I wore a ring the whole time I worked her and I turned you down from the second you ask me out… You were the one who decide to keep chasing me." She said to Derek before turning to Izzie. "And you don't get to blame me because regardless of Christina's hints and how ever many time Alex didn't seem interested, you still pursued him. It's not my problem. I made a decision. It was a decision between my husband and me to keep our business as our business. And I wasn't about to subject him to the same sense of uncertainty that everyone in this damn hospital inflicted on me. So I'm not going to apologize anymore." With that she started gathering her charts and looked at Alex who was just as stunned as Izzie and Derek. "See you later, Alex." She gave his cheek a short kiss before walking away.


	57. Text Message

Meredith glanced up when she felt someone walk up to the table she was sitting at

Meredith glanced up when she felt someone walk up to the table she was sitting at.

"Hello, mommy." Christina chuckled.

"Shut up. I don't know if we're going to tell people yet."

"Yeah cause that worked out so well last time."

She rolled her eyes. "What harm can it do now? I don't want to be mommy-tracked."

"By who? Webber already knows right?"

"Yeah, but I don't want anyone to think that I can't do anything because I'm pregnant."

"Whatever. So, I heard about your little blow up with Shepherd and Dr. Model."

"I blame the hormones."

"Oh please like it didn't feel great to finally yell at them."

"Yeah I guess you're right."

"So where's Daddy?"

Meredith giggled. "In surgery with Sloan."

"Sloan is letting an intern into the OR?"

"He claims it's a wedding present."

* * *

"Hey, Babe." Alex smiled.

"Hey." She kissed his cheek without breaking stride down the hall. "How was surgery with Sloan?"

"Fine." He shrugged. She raised an eye brow at him. "Okay, it was amazing."

She giggled shaking her head. "That's what I thought."

"Dr. Kerev?" Someone called from behind them.

"Yes?" They both turned to look.

"Ah…" The nurse shifted uncomfortable. "The male one… We need some help over here."

"Okay." He kissed his wife's cheek. "See you later."

"Bye." She smiled watching him walk off. She liked the sound of that. Dr. Kerev.

* * *

She managed to avoid both Derek and Izzie all day long. Even though she didn't feel guilty about what happened, she didn't like to waste her energy on fighting useless fights with them.

"Dr. Kerev." Mark said boarding the elevator beside her.

"Dr. Sloan." She nodded at him.

"I had your husband in surgery."

"So I heard. I hope he didn't cause too much trouble."

Mark smirked. "Nothing I couldn't handle."

"You're very full of yourself, Sloan."

"That I am" He chuckled. "So where is your husband?"

"On-call tonight."

"Want to go get a drink."

"I'm married. I don't want to get into your pants, Sloan."

He chuckled again. "Did I ask for you to sleep with me? I like you, Meredith. I think you're the only woman who I find attractive in this hospital that I don't want to sleep with."

"I'll take that as a compliment."

"You should."

"Well, I'm sorry, Dr. Sloan."

"You can call me Mark."

"Mark… But I can't get a drink."

"Do you not trust me?"

"No, I trust you… But…" She sighed and looked at him. "Promise not to tell?" He nodded. "I'm pregnant."

"Congratulations."

"Thanks. And I'm only telling you that because I consider you a friend."

"I consider you a friend too, Meredith."

She looked at him and smile. "Good…" The doors dinged and opened. "See you tomorrow, Mark."

"Yeah, I'll see you tomorrow, Meredith."

With that she walked off.

He walked down the stairs of the hospital trying to do something physical, so he could stay away. He and Izzie were on-call that night which wasn't exactly how he wanted to spend his night. But it was part of being an intern so he accepted in. His phone started to vibrate on his hip as he pulled the door open to the main surgical floor. Pulling it out, he flipped it open and read the text message Meredith had sent him.

Text message:

"Hey, Dr. Kerev. Wish you were here. It's lonely around here without you. Love Dr. Kerev."

He smiled to himself as he typed a replay.

Replaying text message:

"Wishing I was there too. The hospital is quiet and the on-call rooms are too lonely."

Shutting his phone, he walked up to the nurses' station replacing the phone in his pocket.

"Can you put this in 4924's chart?"

"Sure thing, Dr. Kerev."

"Thanks." He gave a short smile and headed to the on-call room where he hoped to get at least a little sleep. He walked into the first empty one he found and climbed into the bottom bunk of one of the beds. Thoughts of his wife instantly filled his head as darkness swallowed him. It was weird lying in the bed alone when he was so used to having her in his arms. His phone vibrated again. Smiling to himself he opened it to read the message.

Text message"

"Love you. Goodnight."

He smiled and typed her back.

Reply:

"Love you too. Night."


	58. Locker Room Conversations

"You paged

"You paged?" He asked clenching his pager angrily in his hand.

"Dr. Stevens was looking for you."

He couldn't help but roll his eyes. "Where is she?"

"I think I saw her go into the locker room."

"Thanks." He sighed before walking away.

When he found her, she was topless and mumbling angrily about a patient and vomit.

"What do you need, Izzie?" He asked walking to his own locker.

"It's your turn."

"My turn for what?"

"To be the doctor. Your turn to stick your finger up someone's ass."

He looked at her confusedly. "What do you think I've been doing since I got here?"

"You mean other than hiding a fiancée?" She mumbled rolling her eyes as she did something on her phone. He rolled his eyes at her as he pulled his shirt over his head and could help but tense when he notice her looking over at him. "You get to go handle the pit. I have been puked on and crapped on and bleed on enough for one night. It's your turn."

"Whatever. I'll go check in out when I finish here." He mumbled pulling the fresh shirt on.

"God, Alex, you are so annoying."

"What the hell did I do?" He said giving her a defensive look.

"You don't even get it do you?"

"Obviously not."

Izzie looked around angrily as if looking for words before putting her hands on her hips and looking at him. "You and Meredith walk around here like it's nothing. You rub your marriage in my face."

"We hardly speak. How the hell do I do anything to you?"

"A week ago, I like you, but nobody bothered to tell me. Meredith knew that I was interested in you. Everyone probably did according to Christina. And yet I look like the bitch hitting on a taken man. And I'm the one who get humiliated."

"It was our decision to keep it quiet. We didn't have to tell anyone. I never led you on. If you asked me out, I would have said no. So, I'm sorry if you got hurt, but you can't blame me and expect me to feel bad."

With that he pushed past her and headed to the door.

"Did you even want to keep it quiet? It's not something many people make a secret."

"I would do anything to keep Meredith happy. If she thought she was protecting me and that made anything easier for her, I would have kept it a secret forever."

Izzie sighed and fell back onto the bench as Alex walked out.

It wouldn't be another hour and a half until Christina and George were supposed to show up at the hospital, but Meredith had off.

* * *

He sat in the locker room staring into his locker. It had been a long, sleepless night since even when he had the chance to sleep the beds were too uncomfortable to sleep in. The door opened but he didn't turn to look. After a second he felt someone come and sit beside him.

"I don't forgive you." Izzie's voice came.

"I didn't think you would."

"Just tell me why."

"Why what?" He sighed.

"Why did you guys feel you had to keep it a secret?"

"We have a complicated past. You wouldn't understand."

She nodded. "Obviously not."

"Don't judge her for her decision. You don't really know her."

"Nobody seems to."

"I do." He pointed out.

"Are you sure? I mean how can you not be scared to death?" She asked after a few seconds.

"I love her." He shrugged. "What do I have to be scare of?"

"I don't know. How can you be sure you love someone who is too ashamed to let the world know you love her?"

"It's not like that. Like I said it's complicated... I'm too tired to talk about this."

Letting out a sigh, she glanced at him but didn't say anything. She just stood up and walked to her locker. Alex sighed and rubbed his forehead. Fatigue started to set in as he glanced at the clock. In an hour and a half, he would be able to go home, see his wife, and maybe get some sleep.

* * *

The elevator doors opened, and he stepped on. Mark and Derek stood in the back leaning against the wall. Mark gave him a short nod as Derek continued to do something on his phone.

"Going home, Kerev?" Mark asked.

"Yep." Alex sighed.

"Enjoy it why you can." Mark said. "When are you back in here?"

Alex wondered why Mark even cared but brushed it off since he was too tired to be inquisitive. "Not until tomorrow."

"I see how it is. Getting off the same day as Meredith… Lucky man."

"You're a sick man, Sloan." Alex chuckled.

"I was simply saying you were lucky you get to spend time with your wife. But, hey, if you must turn everything dirty."

"Would you two shut up?" Derek said bitterly.

"What bite your ass, Shep?" Mark asked a little amused seeing his friend squirm.

"Unlike you, I don't like to know about my co-worker's sex lives." Derek said with a voice of disgust.

"Don't be jealous cause I have one." Alex muttered as the doors open.

"What did you say?" Derek's voice instantly turned cold as Mark started to laugh.

"Nothing, Dr. Shepherd. See you later, Doctors." He called back walking away with a smile.


	59. Mama Kerev's Return

_

* * *

_

Five months later…

Things eventually settled between Izzie and Derek and Alex and Meredith. Izzie and Meredith started to become friends again. Derek stopped making problems, but they weren't friends just worked together like professionals. Mark had become closer friends with the interns even though he hated having to work with interns. He was especially close with Meredith. Meredith continued to be pregnant, and their marriage was a blissful as ever.

"Mer?" Alex, who had been on-call the night before, called as he walked into the house

"In the kitchen." She called back.

When he walked into the kitchen, he found her wearing on of his shirts that fell to above her knees. His eyes traveled up her perfectly shaped legs. The baby bump on her stomach was noticeable even though his shirt was very large on her petite frame. He found it amazingly cute. A smirk was produced across his lips as she rubbed her foot along the side of her leg. Walking up behind her, he wrapped his arms around her and placed kisses on the bare part of her shoulder ad neck "How is my beautiful wife?"

"She missed you last night." She giggled.

"I missed her too." He kissed her cheek running his hands up and down her side then over to her stomach pulling her closer to him. She turned to look at him with a small smile.

"Did you know that she loves you?"

"I hope she does."

"She does." She said kissing him lightly on the lips.

"I love her too." He dipped her down kissing her passionately. She wrapped her arms around him deepening the kiss. "I love her so much." He smiled pulling back at little.

"Right back at you, babe." She said running her hand along the side of his face. "I think we need to make up for last night."

He smirked as he lowered his lips to hers.

* * *

She sighed looking in the mirror. He came up behind her.

"What's wrong?" He asked wrapping his arms around her waist.

"I'm so fat."

"You are not fat, Meredith." He said rolling his eyes as she leaned back into his chest.

"I'm pregnant, Alex. Six and a half months pregnant to be exact."

"Meredith's you can hardly notice."

"I was a small woman to start with." She looked at him. "Right? I mean was I not?"

"No, of coarse you were." He wrapped his arms around her small body. "You're beautiful. You've always been beautiful." He kissed her. "You'll always be beautiful."

"I feel so fat though." She pouted

He chuckled spinning her around. "You have nothing to be worried about, I promise."

"I love you, Alex." She hugged him close laying her head on his chest.

"I love you too." He kissed her head.

"Soon you won't be able to touch me. You'll be too disgusted."

He lifted her head and kissed her passionately. "Never going to happen, I promise."

She cupped his face and kissed him in the same manner. "You better keep that promise."

"I'm sure I can."

"We better get going." She sighed. "I don't want Mama Kerev to get made for having to wait around."

"Oh, please. You could murder six people and Mom would still praise you for not killing seven."

Meredith giggled. "Because she loves me more than she loves you."

"She probably does." He chuckled.

She sat down on her bed and looked expectantly at him. He smiled shaking his head as he walked over.

"Which shoes would you like today, Babe?"

"Those brown ones." She answered pointing to a pair of pair shoes in the corner of the room as she leaned back on her elbows. He put on her shoes for her which had become one of the tasks she found too hard to do, so whenever he was around she just made him do it. When he got them on, he leaned over her and kissed her passionately. After a few moments, she pulled back. "We just went through the hassle of getting my shoes on. Do you really want to do something where they just come off?"

"If it includes more of that, I would be happy to put them on for you again." He smirked.

"Mama Kerev is waiting. Will you help me up, Honey?" She giggled putting her hands out. He sighed and helped her off the bed.

* * *

They got to Seattle International Airport. Alex, with one arm wrapped around her waist, led her though the crowds. With one hand protectively on her stomach, she scanned the crowd for Mary.

"See her?" He asked.

"Would I be looking if I did?" She snapped.

He laughed. "Got to love your hormones."

"I love you too." She glared at him before looking around again. "There she is!"

Mary noticed them coming over and hurried over. "Oh my god. Look at you, Meredith." She squealed hugging her daughter-in-law. "Oh my god!"

"Hey, Mama Kerev." She hugged her as close as she could. "Thank you so much for coming."

"I was dying to see you and the baby in that belly of yours.'

"What am I? You didn't want to see me?" Alex said with a mock offended voice.

"Of course, Son. But I've see you your whole life. Meredith had only been pregnant for six months."

"I've missed you so much." Meredith giggled.

Alex hugged his mother. "I missed you too, Mom."

"I've missed you guys too."

"So I thought, maybe we can stop by the hospital to get an ultrasound than you can see the baby." Meredith smiled as she leaned back into her husband's chest.

"Oh I would love that." Mary cheered.

"Let's go." Alex ushered.


	60. First Time

I think this is the longest time I've gone without updating this story

**I think this is the longest time I've gone without updating this story. I'm ashamed of myself!**

**--**

They headed to the hospital and conversation between Meredith and Mary hardly faltered. Alex didn't bother to get involved in the conversation knowing he'd pushed out of it as quickly as he got into it. Every so often, they'd ask him a sarcastic question to further prove their point. He stopped the car in a parking space not far from the entrance. Opening the door for Meredith, he took her hand and helped her out before helping his mother out as well.

"Thank you son." Mary smiled at them as Alex wrapped his arm around his wife's back. "Now, come on, I want to see my grandson or daughter."

"I think it's a boy." Meredith sighed. "He sure kicks like one."

"How come you haven't found out?" Mary asked.

"Because…" Alex stared.

"Because he won't let me." Meredith said giving Alex a fake glare.

"I did not. I simply said…" Alex started to defend before Meredith started giggling.

"Seriously, Babe, I was kidding." She said kissing his cheek as they walked into the hospital. Mary giggled shaking her head at the couple. "We just decided to wait." She shrugged.

"I think it's a boy too." Mary said confidently.

"How do you know?" Alex asked.

"Grandmother's intuition, I guess." She sighed with a smile. "I knew you'd be a boy."

They quickly found an exam room and ultrasound machine. Alex decided to do the ultrasound himself as Meredith hopped up on the table. Mary stood close by with a smile that didn't falter.

"Ready to see you grandbaby for the first time?" Meredith asked looking at her mother in-law.

"I've been waiting for this moment since Alex was born." Mary smiled taking her hand. "They say there are three days you dream of as a mother: the day your baby is born, the day your baby gets married, and the day your grandchild is born."

Meredith smiled. "I can't wait for my baby."

"Have you guys pick names yet?" Mary asked.

"We aren't even sure if it's a boy or a girl." Alex pointed out as he prepared the machine.

"But we've talked about it a couple of times." Meredith shrugged. "We haven't made anything definite."

"Ready mom?"

Mary smiled brightly giving him a slight nod. Meredith lifted her shirt over her baby bump allowing Alex to squirt some gel on her stomach. She shivered a little but smiled at them before turning her eyes to the screen. Alex quickly got the paddle and started to search for the baby. A smile formed on his lips as he turned the machine more for them to se better. A bright smile stretched across Meredith's lips.

"Oh my god. There's my grandchild." Mary cried as a few tears rolled off her cheeks.

--

Alex drove Mary home. Meredith had to see Richard and check on a couple of patients before she could leave. Making her way to the elevator, she rubbed her stomach feeling oddly tired. Pregnancy was not all it cracked up to be. Of course there were moments were she didn't think she could ever allow the baby to part from her stomach. But it wore her out. Morning sickness was annoying especially with her internship. Her feet were always throbbing. And her cravings not only drove both her and Alex up a wall most of the time.

The elevator doors opened. She lifted her eyes to meet Derek's.

"Dr. Shepherd."

"Dr. Kerev." He nodded back to her as the door shut. "How are you doing?"

"Good." She sighed. "And you?"

"Good." He answered awkwardly shifting from foot to foot. Silence lingered in the air until the doors once again opened. "See you around, Kerev."

"You too, Dr. Shepherd."

She headed down the hall a met up with Mark who was standing near the nurses' station.

"Sloan." Meredith giggled when she noticed his steps where the same as his.

"Kerev." Mark smirked at her. "Where are you headed?"

"To see Richard."

"I'll see you around." Mark smiled. "See you around, Baby Kerev."

She rolled her eyes. "See you later Sloan."

She made her way to her stepfather's office. Knocking quickly, she waited for him to call for her to come in. Opening the door, she smiled at him.

"Hey Dad."

"Hey, Mer. Did Mary's flight get here alright?" He asked as she sat down.

"Yeah. She's at home with Alex."

"Great. We still on for dinner?"

"Sounds great. So we're here to talk about...?"

"Right, you're six and a half months pregnant. In two weeks, I'm telling Bailey to cut you back on shifts."

"Two weeks? Ugh, what am I supposed to do with the rest of my time?"

Richard chuckled. "Sorry, Mer."

She sighed. "Alright, Dad."

"Thank you for making this easy." He smiled.

"I better go. Call me about dinner."

"Alright." He kissed her cheek. "Love you."

"Love you too." She smiled and headed out. "Mommy tracking sucks." She groaned before walking away.

_**--**_

_**For those who are interested, I've been working on a rewrite for this story (as a MerMark thought.) I don't know if and when I'll post it. **_


	61. Oh My God!

"Hey, Mama Kerev

_Seven weeks later…_

Mama Kerev had gone back to Boston a week after she arrived promising to come back when Meredith was a week from her due date. Meredith had been put on maternity leave when she hit the seven and a half month mark. She put up a fight and complained to her stepfather and husband. But, she knew she couldn't do the job anymore. She was tired all the time and couldn't run to do any codes, but it didn't make sitting at home alone any easier. Alex offered to take off too, but she refused to let him get behind in his internship which was coming to an end quicker than anyone would have imagined. With only four months left, Meredith feared she'd be held back from continuing to her residency. Richard tried to ease her anxiety in saying that if she passed the intern exam and an extra exam, she'd continue on with her husband and friends. But, this only made her study harder in the time she spent lying around the house.

Alex had left about an hour ago after they finished their lunch of sandwiches and milkshakes from Joe's. After cleaning the dishes and putting them and the ones from the night before into the dishwasher, she found a movie on demand and quickly got comfortable on the couch with a bag of chips sitting on top of her stomach. Her lower back pulsated with a stabbing pain as it had been all day. The baby was kicking like crazy. But just as she had gotten comfortable, as if on cue, her phone rang. Letting out a groan, she reached for it.

"Hello?" She answered bringing the phone to her ear.

"Hey, Mer."

"Hey, Mama." She couldn't help but smile at the warmth in her voice. "What are you up to?" She popped a few chips in her mouth Mary tell her about something she was doing with the women she got together to play Rummy with every week. "Sounds like fun."

"Yeah, well, when you get to my age anything is more fun than sitting around waiting for the grocery store to have another sale on prunes."

Meredith giggled rolling her eyes. "I know what it's like to sit around waiting for your water to break."

"What have you been doing with yourself?"

"Nothing. Just passing time. Christina, Izzie, George, and Mark come over a lot in the evenings after they get off work. Tonight, they're supposed to come over for pizza and a surgical tape if I feel up to it… You know, your son has gotten very protective of me since I entered my third trimester."

Mary giggled. "What do you expect? He loves you."

"It's kind of annoying."

"It always is, Mer. Jack was the same way when I was pregnant with Alex." It caught Meredith off guard since Alex's father had always been an uncaring bastard, but Meredith didn't say anything. "That was back before he became an 'amazing' musician." The sarcasm was evident in her voice, but Meredith still didn't say anything. "But, that's all history. So… when does my son get home?"

"He stopped by and had lunch. He'll be home around nine."

"Long day."

"God, I miss it."

Mary chuckled lightly. "It won't be long until you go back."

"Then, I feel like my mom."

"How so?"

"Abandoning my baby."

"You won't abandon him. You're just doing your job. Are you worried you'll turn out to be your mom?"

"I was." She sighed. "I didn't have much of a roll model. But I did have you, so… I'm not as worried of being her. I'm just scared I'll mess up."

"Don't worry, Mer." She giggled. "Everybody has the same fears. Look at Alex, he didn't have a fatherly role in his life after Jack left, and even when he was around he was never there for him. But Alex is going to be an amazing father."

"I know he is." She smiled at the thought of her husband and child together.

"You learn as you go."

"I hope your right."

"I always am." Mary laughed. Meredith joined in as she stood up.

"Ow." She winced rubbing her side.

"What's wrong?" The concern in her voice was evident.

"Nothing… My back is just killing me for some reason."

"Are you sure you are okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." She said trying to shrug it off. She walked into the kitchen to get a drink. Pain shot down her back, but she fought of a cry of pain. She wished Alex had been able to stay there longer since she couldn't bend over to get the drink she wanted, so she settled for a bottle of water on the higher shelf.

She was listening to the story Mary was telling her of her trip to Italy with some of her friends a few summers before as she walked back towards the living room in hopes to catch a couple hours of sleep. As a pain shot from her back to her stomach, she cried out in pain and clutched the chair for support dropping the phone to the floor. She heard Mary's yells of concern but couldn't answer. Before she knew what was going on, there was a splash and her legs dripped with fluid.

"Oh my god!" She nearly screamed.

"Meredith! What's going on? What's wrong?" Mary was yelling through the phone.

After a long struggle, she managed to get the phone back into her reach.

"My water broke! Oh my god, my water broke!" She cried.


	62. Meredith's In Labor

The phone rang. Finally, there was a click followed by a "Hey."

"Alex…" She started only to be cut off by.

"You've reached Alex Kerev…"

Groaning, she ended the call and dialed another number. It didn't take long for the person on the other line to answer.

"Seattle Grace's surgical floor. This is Martha speaking." The nurse said in a tired tone.

"Where's Alex Kerev?"

"Who is this?"

"Meredith Kerev." She groaned as pain radiated up her whole body. Hunching over slightly, she let out a cry of pain.

"Dr. Kerev? Are you okay?"

"Where's my husband!?" She snapped.

"He's in surgery with Dr. Webber."

"Just freaking beautiful." She said as she snapped the phone shut. She needed to call someone else. She couldn't drive herself. She was in labor! Her husband and father were in surgery. She tried Christina's phone and got her voicemail. Izzie's went directly to voicemail meaning it was dead or off. George was out of town visiting his parents. Why the hell did everyone have to be so damn busy on the day she goes into labor? Scrolling through her contact list, she frantically searched for someone. Finally, it settled on a name, and she press 'Send.'

After a few rings, he picked up. "Hello?" His voice was tired as she expected it to be on his day off. He was probably still asleep even though it was afternoon.

"Mark." She said trying to stay calm.

"Mer, you realize today is my day off and…"

"I'm in labor." She hysterically yelled as a few tears rolled off her cheeks. "My husband is in surgery with my father. My person isn't answering her phone. Izzie's phone is dead or something. And George is out of town. I need someone to take me to the hospital."

"I'll be right there." She could hear him moving around and getting dressed.

"Thank you."

"No problem, Meredith." He hung up leaving her on her own for at least the ten minutes it would take for him to get over to her house. Anxiously, she hurried up the stairs to get her bag. Another contraction hit by the time she got to her bedroom door. She breathed through it trying to stay as calm as someone in her situation could.

She gathered her bag and sat in the chair in the living room until Mark got there. It wasn't long until he pulled up in front of the house, got out, and hurried towards the front door without bothering to turn off the car. She struggled to her feet and threw her bag over her shoulder. He opened the door without bothering to knock.

"Hey, Mark." She said in a sarcastically casual tone.

"Hey, Mer." He responded with a little chuckle to cover up his worry. It was no secret that this baby was going to be about three weeks early. The chance of any problems was small, but it was still something to keep in the back of your mind.

He quickly took the back off her shoulder, wrapped on arm around her back, and helped her towards the door.

As Mark drove, she had another contraction. He offered her hand, but she shook her head and squeezed the arm rest to the point it looked like her knuckles were starting to turn white. After it passed, she went back to trying to page her husband, but he had not answered any of them.

--

Richard and Alex worked skillfully as they tried to fix a patient's massive trauma to his abdomen and chest. They carried on a light conversation about family matters mostly the baby. A loud beeping causing both surgeons to pause their conversation.

"It's your pager, Dr. Kerev." One of the scrub nurses informed them. "It's from Dr. Kerev."

"Meredith's off today." Alex said more directing at Richard than anyone.

"I need you here, Alex." Richard said without removing his eyes from the patient.

"What does it say?" Alex asked trying to focus on what he was doing.

"It just says her name." She answered.

"I'm sure she's fine." He sighed. "I'll call her when I get out of here."

Once again beeping filled the OR about five minutes after the first.

"Who is it?" Richard asked.

"It's Dr. Kerev again, sir."

Richard glanced up at his son in-law. "Do you think everything is okay?"

"Sloan was going to go over there today. I'm sure he'd call or get an intern to come get me if something went wrong."

Richard nodded. He could tell Alex wasn't sure, but right now they had their hands inside of a chest cavity. There wasn't much that either could do.

--

They made it there in record time. An intern with a wheelchair was waiting for them when they pulled out. Mark helped her out of the car and into the chair. She gave him a small smile as a thank you and allowed him to wheel him down the hall and up to the OB/GYN floor. Dr. Calvin was waiting for her with a room she had gotten ready when Mark called. It didn't take long for Meredith to get settled in the bed.

"I need to see how far along you are." Dr. Calvin said.

"I'll go find Alex and see what's going on." Mark said.

"Thank you, Mark."

He smiled and kissed her forehead before walking out.

After stopping by the OR board, he found out that Alex was in OR2 with Richard. It didn't take long for him to get there. He walked into the scrub room and looked down at his clothes. Not exactly sterile. After a brief weighing of options, he hurried out and headed for the gallery. Pressing the speaker button he let out a sigh which seemed to get some attention but not from the two people he actually needed to talk to.

"Ever heard of answering a page, Kerev?" He said sarcastically.

Alex looked up at him, and worry flashed though his eyes. "What's wrong? Is Mer okay?" He quickly said.

"How long are you going to be in here for?"

"About another hour. What's going on, Sloan?" Richard answered.

"Well are you going to need Kerev?"

"Yes." Richard answered again.

"What's going on? Is Mer okay?" Alex asked again.

"I don't know if 'okay' is the word I would use. But I'm a man so I would never experience this. So… I'm not exactly sure."

"What are you talking about?" Alex asked both worried and annoyed.

"Meredith is in labor."

_**--**_

_**Probably 2 more chapters. I'm so sad!!**_


	63. My Baby

"What

"What!?" Both Alex and Richard nearly yelled.

"She went into premature labor. Can someone else finish for Kerev, Chief?"

"Yeah. Find Stevens. She should be around somewhere."

"Thanks." Mark sighed and hurried out.

"Oh my god." Alex finally said. "I'm going to be a father… today. I'm going to be a father today."

"Yeah." Richard sighed. "Come on. The more focused we are, the quicker we get finished."

Alex just nodded still shocked as he returned his eyes to the patient's body.

--

He had paged her twice from his phone before getting to the nurses station where he was informed she was working the pit. He hurried down there hardly stopping when he literally ran into Derek as he came around the corner. He just mumbled a quick apology and hurried away before his friend could strike up conversation. When he got down to the pit he found it moderately crowded, but he saw no doctor down there. Sighing irritated that nothing could be simple, he pushed past a couple sick and injured people. Pushing back a curtain, he found Izzie hunched over a guy's leg sewing him up.

"Stevens." He said.

"Sloan." She returned dryly without looking up.

"I paged you."

"I ignored it."

"What is with you interns and the inability to answer a freaking page?"

"I'm a little busy, Sloan. I'm not in the mood to be berated by the 'oh so godly Mark Sloan.'"

He rolled his eyes crossing his arms across his chest. "You're needed in OR2."

"I'm up to my eyeballs in a bar fight catastrophe. So whoever needs me will have to wait since I'm the only intern stupid enough to be late to rounds and thrown into the pit."

He sighed. "I'll finish up here."

She turned the stool as she got up to get some more supplies giving him an unbelieving look. "Who's twisting your arm?"

"Meredith."

"What is she doing that I should be doing? She has you down here asking to do sutures while I go scrub it."

"She's threatening to have that baby while her husband is in surgery. So, you can understand the urgency."

"Meredith is in labor." She nearly squealed.

"Yes, now if you don't hurry Alex is going to miss it."

"Oh, right. Um, yeah, so I'll go. Good luck with this." She said slightly amused as she stripped off her gloves and ran out.

Mark sighed and sat down in the stood. "This is your lucky day." He told the slightly drunk man as he pulled on a pair of gloves. "You get the best plastic surgeon in the US to do your stitches."

--

Izzie scrubbed in quickly and walked through the automatic doors. One of the scrub nurses were holding a pair of gloves open for her to slip her hands into.

"Nice of you to join us, Stevens." Richard said without removing his eyes.

"My pleasure, sir." She said as she walked over. "Where are we?"

Richard explained where they were in the procedure as Alex passed the instruments over to her.

"Can I go, sir?" Alex asked stepping away from the table.

"Please do."

"Thank you."

"Congratulations, Alex." Izzie whispered.

"Thanks." He said back as he moved through the crowd.

"Alex?"

"Yes sir?"

"Take care of her."

"I will." He gave him as smile, pulled off his garb, and hurried to scrub out.

--

He stood in the door way of the room Dr. Calvin told him his wife was in. She lied on her side with her back to the door. The rest of the room was empty making him feel even more guilty he hadn't been there when she first went into labor. He knocked on the doorframe before walking further into the room with a smile on his face. She slowly rolled onto her back and gave him a smile.

"You made it."

"Did you think I wouldn't?"

"You are late after all."

"You know me. I always have to make an entrance."

She giggled as he softly kissed her lips. Pulling back, he rested his forehead against hers. "Next time, you could dial down the drama."

"I'll remember that. How are you doing?"

She took a deep breath and let it out in a slightly dramatic way. "I'm okay considering a bowling ball is making it's way out of my body."

"Is there anything I can get you?"

"Other than a new vagina? No."

He chuckled kissing her again before sitting down in a nearby chair. "God, I can't believe it's really here."

"I can't wait to see him or her."

"Me neither."

"I love you."

"I love you too."

--

"I hate you!" She yelled as she squeezed his hand with all her might. He bit his lip trying not to laugh. "I really hate you!"

Meredith was six hours into labor. And as her contractions became closer and closer together, her cries of hate towards her husband did as well. Most of which he found hilarious. After their respective surgeries had finished, Richard, Izzie, Christina, George, and Mark, after he cleared the pit, came up to see them and vacated the room as soon as the next contraction hit. Mark had jokingly complained to the couple about doing intern work which earned a glare from both Meredith and Alex, then left the couple to be alone again.

"Alright, Meredith." Dr. Calvin said standing up. "We're going to push on the next contraction, okay?"

"Get this baby out of me." She mumbled as Dr. Calvin left to get all things prepare. Even though the baby was just barely premature, due to protocol he or she would have to be seen by a neonatologist.

It was only two minutes that Dr. Calvin returned. She returned to the end of the bed, helped Meredith move her legs to the appropriate position, and stared at the monitor. It was only another moment that the machine alerted them of another contraction.

"Ready, Mer." Dr. Calvin asked. Meredith just nodded grabbing Alex's hand. "Push." Meredith did as she was told as Dr. Calvin counted. "Relax." She let out a breath as she fell back against the bed. "And, push." Once again, Meredith pushed with all her weight behind it. Once Dr. Calvin hit ten, she fell back against the bed. The cycle repeated six times before Dr. Calvin announced she could see the head. Once again, Meredith pushed and screamed. "One more, Meredith." Meredith took a deep breath and pushed when she had been told. Crying filled the air as Meredith relaxed against the bed. "It's a boy." Dr. Calvin announced holding the baby up.

"Hi, Baby." Meredith said quietly before they took the baby to the other side of the room.

Words could not describe what he felt as he leaned down to kiss his wife. He had a son. A little baby boy. Their little baby boy. Meredith reached up with one arm and wrapped it around his neck.

"A little boy, Meredith." He whispered. "We have a son, Mer."

"I love you." She cried.

"I love you too."

"Dr. Kerev? Would you like to cut your son's umbilical cord?"

Giving his wife one last kiss, he stood up straighter and walked to the other side of the room.

A proud smile appeared on his lips as he stared down at his son as he wailed flopping around with his eyes closed. He cut the umbilical cord.

"Everything appears to be fine." Dr. Calvin assured. "But Betty is going to take him to Dr. Hampton, the neonatologist, to be sure."

Alex nodded leaning down and kissed his son on his forehead before allowing them to take him to the neonatologist. He returned to his wife's bed and took her hand. Dr. Calvin delivered the placenta, offered them her best wishes, and left promising to check back in a couple hours before Meredith was discharged.

"Can you believe it?" Meredith said in a tired tone. "We have a son, Alex."

"We're parents." He said quietly asked he kissed her cheek.

After about fifteen minutes, a knock came at the door and Betty came in rolling a bassinette with an empty stuck to the front waiting to be filled out. Alex quickly moved to the side of the bassinette to look down at their son. His eyes were closed, and he was wrapped up in a blue blanket. As he stared down at his son he recognized similarities of both of them. He had Meredith's cute nose and hair color but Alex's lips and ears.

Carefully, he lifted him into his arms and carried him to the bed. Meredith smiled tiredly as he lied his small body on her chest.

"Hey, Baby." She talked softly touching his small nose. "I'm you mommy. And this is your daddy. You're so cute. We love you so much."

For the first time, their baby opened his eyes. Meredith's gray-green eyes stared back at them.

--

"Alex? Oh my god, is she okay?" Mary said in a worried tone when she answered the phone.

"Yeah, she's doing great." He replied with a smile. "Our son is doing well too."

"I have a grandson?" She asked with a shaky voice.

"You have a grandson." He stared in his wife's room. She was asleep in the bed while Richard held their son who was also asleep.

"What's his name?"

"Jacob Alexander Kerev."

"It's just perfect, Alex."

"Yeah."

"Can I talk to her?"

"She's resting, but I'll have her call you."

"Alright. I love you."

"I love you too."

"Give my daughter and grandson a kiss for me."

"I will. Bye, Mom."

"Bye."


	64. A House Full Of Memories

The air was cold sending shivers down her back. It was late in December, only four days before Christmas, and they were back in Boston. She stood at the base of Mary's driveway looking between two houses she had grown up in. Her old house looked as it had when she and her mother moved their. A dark blue flag with a snowman and snow flakes sewn on flapped in the wind from where it hung on the porch. Little kid's toys were scattered through out the yard and a minivan sat in the driveway.

The door swung open, and Mary appears with a wide smile. "Hey!"

"Grandma!" All three children yelled and raced towards the porch. Jacob, who was now seven, ran ahead of his sisters and beat them to the stairs. Mary crouched down and engulfed her oldest grandchild and only grandson in a hug.

"How are you?" She asked her grandson as he pulled away from the hug.

"Good." He gave her one of his notorious smirks that was just like Alex's when Alex was eight. It was the smile that always made Meredith's heart melt whenever he used it to his advantage just like Alex used to. "Can I go see Snowball?" He asked. Snowball was Mary's white parakeet. Smiling, Mary nodded. Jacob kissed her cheek before racing into the living room.

"Now those can't be my granddaughters." She said shaking her head at the twin girls walking up the stairs with their parents and grandfather in tow. "Where are Anna and Gracie?"

"Grandma, it's us." Anna giggled.

"Silly Grandma." Gracie added with the same amused tone.

Mary shook her head once again. "No, my Anna and Grace are tiny. You two are big girls. Where are they?"

"It's us!" Gracie laughed giving a smile matching the one of Anna's face.

Mary gasped pretending to be surprised. "What happened to you?"

"We grew up." Anna insisted.

Mary crouched down and pulled them both into a hug. Anna and Gracie were born a little more than two years after Jacob. Now, they were five. They were identical twins, so they both had the same long dirty blonde hair and gray-green eyes. They had the same dimples, which was one of the few traits they got from their father, and bubbly attitude. Jacob had come to look like his father. Over time his green eyes turned brown, and his hair grew to be light brown just like his father's. He had the same smirk and charming attitude as his father that Meredith had grown up with.

"Anna, Gracie, come look at Snowball!" He yelled from the living. The girls looked at her grandmother who nodded reassuringly. Giggling, the two girls skipped off into the living room.

Mary stood up and hugged Alex, Meredith, and Richard.

"Come on, I have coffee made if you'd like some." She offered. The three adults agreed and headed into the kitchen.

"Daddy, Grandpa!" Gracie called almost as soon as they got their coffee and sat down at the table.

"We better see what's going on." Alex sighed kissing his wife's cheek before he and his father in-law disappeared into the living room.

"Did you ever talk to Jacob's teacher?"

"Yeah. She called me the other week and said that he was giving her 'sass.'" She giggled.

"I can't believe it. A Kerev giving someone sass? That's unheard of." Mary laughed sarcastically.

"Father like son, I guess."

--

Mary made a large dinner for her family which took half the time to eat as it did to cook. After words, the kids went back to playing with Snowball and toys in the living room while the adults chatted about Christmas plans. The next day Meredith and Alex were going to go Christmas shopping for under the tree while Richard and Mary watched the kids. At seven forty-five Meredith and Alex rounded up the kids and took them upstairs for a bath then bed. Jacob took a bath in Mary's bathroom while the girls took one in the guest bathroom. Meredith returned to the kitchen after she helped get the kids into their pajamas and into bed.

"Hey." She said sitting down at the bar.

"Hey." Mary smiled as she did the dishes.

"Need any help?"

"I got it dear."

Meredith looked around the house remembering an event that had taken place in pretty much every square foot of the house. Mary noticed and shut off the water. Drying her hands, she walked over and stood across from her daughter in-law.

"_Hey." Five-year-old Alex Kerev said as he approached Meredith who sat on the swing that hung from a tree in her year. _

"_Hey." She returned looking at the ground._

"_I'm Alex."_

"_Meredith."_

"_Do you want to come play?"_

_She looked up and nodded. "Sure. Where are we playing?"_

"_My house?" He shrugged._

_--_

_The light flicked on causing her to look up quickly. Fifteen-year-old Alex stepped out shutting the door behind him._

"_Hey." He said._

"_Hey." She said quietly slowing the swing._

"_What are you doing out here?" He asked. She shrugged._

"_Thinking."_

"_About?"_

"_I don't know."_

"_You okay?"_

"_I don't know."_

"_That seems to be the theme."_

_She sighed. They stood in silence just looking at each other. The next thing he knew, he was leaning down and their lips came together. It was soft and sweet. _

"_You're going to be okay." He said as he pulled apart. She just looked at him unsure what to say._

_--_

"_Alex. Alex." She said quietly coming back into the room. "Alex, wake up."_

_She shook him._

"_Huh? What? What's going on?" He said sitting up a little. He looked up at Meredith rubbing his eyes to see clearly. She clicked on the light causing him to pull the pillow over his face. "Meredith. It's like two in the morning." She hopped on the bed tucking her feet under her butt._

"_What's wrong with your mom?" He blinked and looked at her._

"_What do you mean?"_

"_I went downstairs to get some water. She was there crying and her face and arms are bruised up."_

"_What are you talking about, Mer?" He yawned._

"_Alex, there is something wrong." He looked at her._

_--_

"_I give you the graduating class of 1994." The principle announced with a large smile. The audience stood up clapping and whistling. The whole graduating class threw their hats in the air._

"_We did it!" Someone yelled._

_Eventually everyone scattered off the stage to find their parents and family._

"_ALEX!" Seventeen-year-old Meredith called. His head whipped around. She hurried over and jumped into his arms. "We did it."_

"_Yeah we did." Alex said with a large smile. "Can you believe we're going to Dartmouth?"_

"_I know I can't." Mama Kerev said. "God, I am so proud of you two."_

_She pulled the both into a tight hug._

"_What I can't believe is that we're going to the Bahamas for two weeks by ourselves!" She cheered._

"_Meredith." Richard said. She turned towards him. "I am so happy for you."_

"_Thank you, Dad."_

"_You did well, Meredith." Ellis said. "I'm proud of you."_

_--_

_Leaning forward, she kissed his lips light and tenderly. Quickly, he welcomed the kiss and kissed back. They stayed like that for what seemed like forever. Pulling back, she lied her head on his bare chest not sure what else to do. They had never gone so far in their relationship even though unbeknown by each other she loved him and he loved her._

"_Should we… talk about this?" She said quietly drawing circles on his toned stomach. He stayed quiet for a second before nodded._

"_Probably." He said quietly playing with her hair. Silence fell over them again as they waited for something more to be said._

"_I love you." She blurted out before she could catch herself. As soon as the words left her mouth she wanted to slap her hand over her mouth. His finger stopped moving through her hair. She stopped drawing circles on his stomach and for a second neither even took a breath. Slowly, she turned her head so she was looking up at him._

"_I love you, too." He said quietly. She brought her lips to his and kissed him passionately and straddled him._

"Sometimes it so hard to believe." Mary's voice came interrupting her montage of memories.

"What?"

"You and Alex." She shook her unbelievingly. "See you guys in this house again. It seems surreal."

"I know." Meredith sighed looking around. "Its hard to believe that we met twenty-five years ago."

"Me neither. I remember the first time I met you."

"I spent nearly thirteen years in and out of this house." A smile crossed her lips. "Playing imaginary games out back. Having dinner as if I were part of the family. Watching movies on the couch. Having birthday parties here. Sneaking into his room when I was scared and home alone."

Mary smiled at the memories. "You have always been part of the family, Mer."

"You never treated me as anything less."

"I always knew you would end up growing up, getting married, and starting a family."

"I love you, Mama."

"I love you too, Mer."

--

It was just like old times. She lied in his arms in the same room she used to sneak into when Ellis was out of town. His breathing was soft and even, so she knew he was asleep. A smile crossed his lips as she kissed his muscular arm before wiggling out from underneath it. Quietly, she snuck out of room and tip toed down the stairs. She grabbed her coat and walked barefoot across the living room and kitchen. As quietly as she could, she unlocked the door, flipped on the outside light, and opened the back door. The grass was damp with cold dew when she put her bare feet on it. She hurried across it and stepped onto the cool sand of the sandbox. Looking at the playground in front of her, she noticed all the differences in it. The red color of the sandbox was fading. Some of the chains holding up the swings were rusting. And the slide had a chip of plastic missing on the side.

As she settled down on the seat of the swing, she couldn't help but think of the first time she snuck of Alex's room to swing when they were fifteen. Using her feet, she pushed herself off the ground. A smile crossed her lips as she got higher and higher. It wasn't long that the door opened and just like when she was fifteen, a sleepy Alex appeared. She smiled at him as she slowed the swing. He returned the smile as he walked over.

"Now, this looks familiar. What are you doing out here?"

"Thinking." She said with a smile.

He couldn't help but let out a soft chuckle. "About what?"

"You."

"Me?"

"I was just thinking about how much I love you."

He bent down and kissed her. At first it was soft and sweet then turned more passionate. She wrapped her arms around his neck as he pulled her to her feet. His arms wrapped around her waist as he deepened the kiss. He finally pulled back and let out as sighed as he laid his forehead against his.

"And I was wondering how I ever managed to survive 25 years with you."

He got a fake offended look. She pulled away from him. "You will pay for that now."

"Will I?"

"Yes you will." He laughed as she turned and hurried away from his. Her giggles filled the air as he chased after her. The chase didn't last long since after a few moments, she was laughing too hard to run any long. He wrapped his arms around his waist as she bubbled over. He softly tackled her to the ground and hovered over her while she rolled over onto her back. Her soft giggles stopped as she stared up at him. Reaching up, she touched the side of his face. He smirked at her before leaning down and capturing her lips. Once he pulled back, she smiled up at him.

"I love you."

"I love you too."

**_--_**

**_The End. It is really sad to see this one go. I really loved writing it, and I hope you enjoyed reading it!!_**


End file.
